[Response of normal children to the treadmill exercise test using the Bruce protocol]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Exercise Testing

Context:

• Exercise stress testing (ETT) is crucial for assessing cardiovascular health in children.
• Establishing normative data for ETT parameters is essential for accurate interpretation.
• Factors like age, sex, and body surface area can influence ETT outcomes in pediatric populations.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the safety and feasibility of exercise stress testing in a pediatric cohort.
• To establish reference values for exercise stress testing parameters in children.
• To analyze the influence of sex, age, and body surface area on exercise stress testing results.

Summary:

• This study involved 100 children (59 boys, 41 girls) undergoing exercise stress testing using the Bruce protocol.
• Blood pressure, heart rate, test duration, and oxygen consumption were monitored and analyzed based on sex, age, and body surface area.
• Results indicate that ETT is safe in children, with significant differences in test duration and oxygen consumption observed between sexes and age groups.

Impact:

• Provides crucial reference data for interpreting exercise stress testing results in children, aiding in the diagnosis and management of heart disease.
• Highlights the importance of considering individual characteristics (age, sex, body surface area) for accurate ETT evaluation in pediatric patients.
• Supports the safe and effective application of exercise stress testing in pediatric clinical practice.