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Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed With Sickle Cell Disease: A Scoping
Ariane Levesque1, Deepika Pugalenthi Saravanan1, Peri Newman1
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Penn State Health Children's Hospital, Hershey, PA, USA (AL, DPS, PN, SD, GMS, MC).
Insights
Physical activity (PA) assessments and interventions for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are inconsistent and limited. More research is needed to develop specific PA guidelines for this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Hematology
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) benefits for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are not well-established.
- Existing research presents a divided view on the advantages of PA for this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and describe PA and physical fitness assessments in children with SCD.
- To detail current PA interventions implemented in this population.
- To document any adverse events associated with PA interventions in children with SCD.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive scoping review of studies involving children (≤21 years) diagnosed with SCD.
- Searches were conducted across major databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and PEDro.
- Inclusion criteria required studies to assess PA, physical fitness, or include a PA intervention.
Main Results:
- Out of 45 included studies, only 28.9% assessed PA, primarily using self-reported questionnaires.
- A high proportion of studies (88.9%) utilized physical fitness assessments, with the 6-minute walk test being most common.
- PA interventions were described in only two studies, with one reported adverse event.
Conclusions:
- Current methods for assessing PA and physical fitness in pediatric SCD patients are heterogeneous.
- There is a significant limitation in the availability and scope of PA interventions for children with SCD.
- Future research should focus on addressing these gaps to establish evidence-based PA guidelines tailored for children with SCD.
Abstract:
Introduction: Research on the benefits of physical activity (PA) for children diagnosed with sickle cell disease (SCD) remains divided. This scoping review aimed to describe PA and physical fitness assessments, detail existing PA interventions, and document adverse events related to PA interventions in children with SCD. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and PEDro for clinical trials and observational studies on children ≤21 years old diagnosed with SCD and providing at least one assessment of PA and/or physical fitness and/or a PA intervention. Results: A total of 45 studies were included in this review. Only 28.9% of studies provided an assessment of PA, with the most common assessment being self-reported questionnaires. Most studies (ie, 88.9%) detailed using physical fitness assessments, with the most common being the 6-minute walk test. Two studies described a PA intervention, and one adverse event was reported. Conclusion: This scoping review indicated that approaches to assess PA and physical fitness in children with SCD are heterogenous and PA interventions in this population are limited. Conducting future research aiming to address these gaps is critical to allow for the formulation of PA guidelines that are specific to the needs/challenges of children with SCD.
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