Long-term effects of a partially supervised conditioning program in cystic fibrosis

Eur Respir J. 2009 Jul 30. [Epub ahead of print]

Long-term effects of a partially supervised conditioning program in cystic fibrosis.

Hebestreit H, Kieser S, Junge S, Ballmann M, Hebestreit A, Schindler C, Schenk T, Posselt HG, Kriemler S.

Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany.

Little is known about the long-term persistence of positive effects induced by a physical conditioning program. Therefore, this study determined the effects of a 6-months conditioning program on peak oxygen uptake (primary outcome), and other markers of fitness, physical activity, anthropometry, lung function, and quality of life (secondary outcomes) 18 and 24 months after the program was initiated.

Patients with CF aged 12-40 years were randomly assigned to an intervention (n=23) and a control (n=15) group. The intervention group consented to add three hours of sports per week for at least six months to their previous activities. Controls were asked to maintain their level of activity for 12 months. Patients were seen at baseline and after 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.

There was no significant difference between groups at baseline.

The intervention induced positive effects on peak oxygen uptake (difference in changes from baseline to the 18- and 24-months assessments between groups: +3.72+/-1.23 ml.min(-1).kg(-1), p<0.01),>

A home-based partially supervised physical conditioning program can improve physical fitness, lung function and perceived health long after the intervention has ended.

PMID: 19643946 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19643946?dopt=Abstract