Physical activity modulates arterial stiffness in children with congenital heart disease: A CHAMPS cohort study

Children with congenital heart disease are at risk for developing increased arterial stiffness and this may be modulated by physical activity.

To compare arterial stiffness in high- and low-physically active children with congenital heart disease and healthy age- and sex-matched controls.

Seventeen children with congenital heart disease (12 ± 2 years; females = 9), grouped by low- and high-physical activity levels from accelerometry step count values, and 20 matched controls (11 ± 3 years; females = 9) were studied.

Carotid-radial pulse wave velocity was assessed with applanation tonometry to determine arterial stiffness. Body composition and 6-min walk test measures were performed. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and multiple regression. Significance was P < .05.

Arterial stiffness was increased in low-physically active children with congenital heart disease (9.79 ± 0.97 m/s) compared to high-physically active children with congenital heart disease (7.88 ± 0.71 m/s; P = .002) and healthy-matched controls (8.67 ± 1.28 m/s; P = .015). There were no differences in body composition measures between groups (all P > .05), but 6-min walk test distance was less in both congenital heart disease groups (high-physically active: 514 ± 40 m; low-physically active: 539 ± 49 m) versus controls (605 ± 79 m; all P < .05). Average daily step count significantly predicted arterial stiffness in children with congenital heart disease (R²  = 0.358) with a negative correlation (R = -0.599, P = .011), while % fat mass (P = .519) and % lean mass (P = .290) did not predict arterial stiffness.

Low-physically active children with congenital heart disease have increased arterial stiffness compared to high-physically active children with congenital heart disease and healthy-matched controls. Regular physical activity in children with congenital heart disease may modulate arterial stiffness.