Bruce treadmill test in children: normal values in a clinic population

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Assessing exercise capacity in children is crucial for evaluating cardiovascular health.
• The Bruce treadmill protocol is a widely used method for exercise testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normal values for maximal endurance time using the Bruce treadmill protocol in children.
• To determine if maximal endurance time is a sufficient indicator of exercise capacity in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• The Bruce treadmill protocol was administered to 327 children with innocent heart murmurs.
• Maximal endurance time, heart rate, and anthropometric measurements were recorded.

Main Results:

• Mean endurance time increased with age in both boys and girls.
• Mean maximal heart rate ranged from 193 to 206 beats/min, with minimal age-related differences.
• Endurance time showed a strong positive correlation (0.88) with maximal oxygen uptake.

Conclusions:

• The Bruce treadmill protocol is suitable for children as young as 4 years old.
• Maximal endurance time alone serves as a satisfactory clinical indicator of exercise performance in children.
• Normal values for endurance time were established for various pediatric age groups.