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Reference Values for Inspiratory Muscle Endurance in Healthy Children and Adolescents

Cristhiele Taís Woszezenki1, João Paulo Heinzmann-Filho1,2, Fernanda Maria Vendrusculo1,2

  • 1Graduate Program in Pediatrics and Child Health, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

Plos One
|January 26, 2017
PubMed

Insights

The incremental threshold loading protocol is more reliable for assessing inspiratory muscle endurance (IME) in children and adolescents. This method, considering age and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), provides more consistent results than the maximal loading protocol.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Physiology
  • Exercise Science

Background:

  • Inspiratory muscle endurance (IME) is crucial for respiratory health in children and adolescents.
  • Standardized protocols are needed to accurately assess IME in this population.
  • Existing methods for IME assessment in pediatric groups require further validation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish reference values for two distinct inspiratory muscle endurance (IME) protocols in healthy children and adolescents.
  • To compare the reliability and predictive factors of an incremental threshold loading protocol versus a maximal loading protocol for IME assessment.
  • To identify key determinants of IME in the pediatric age range.

Main Methods:

  • An observational, cross-sectional study involving 462 healthy children and adolescents aged 4–18 years.
  • Two IME protocols were employed: incremental threshold loading (30% MIP with 10% increments) and maximal loading (70% MIP until fatigue).
  • Measurements included weight, height, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), and IME using both protocols.

Main Results:

  • The incremental threshold loading protocol showed moderate positive correlations between IME and age, MIP, weight, and height, with MIP and age being the strongest predictors (r²=0.65).
  • The maximal loading protocol demonstrated weaker correlations, with only age and height influencing endurance (r²=0.15).
  • Reproducibility was significantly higher for the incremental loading protocol (ICC=0.96) compared to the maximal loading protocol (ICC=0.69).

Conclusions:

  • Inspiratory muscle endurance in healthy children and adolescents is primarily influenced by age, height, and MIP.
  • The incremental threshold loading protocol is recommended for evaluating IME in the pediatric population due to its superior reliability and predictive power.
  • This study provides valuable reference data for the incremental threshold loading protocol in children and adolescents.
Abstract

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