Burn injury may have age-dependent effects on strength and aerobic exercise capacity in males

Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J81111

Journal:

Journal of Burn Care And Research (formerly Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation)

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2018 , 39, , 815-822

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study compared exercise capacity and body composition in adult men and boys before and after a rehabilitative exercise program (RET). Forty boys (aged 7 to 17 years,) were matched to 35 adult men (aged 18 to 45 years) based on extent of burn injury (total body surface area burned: boys 46 percent; men 47 percent) and length of hospital stay (boys 33 days, men 41 days). Strength (peak torque) and cardiorespiratory fitness (peak VO2) were normalized to kilograms of lean body mass for group comparisons. Each group was also compared with normative age–sex matched values at discharge and after an aerobic and resistance RET program, 3 to 5 days per week for 6 to 12 weeks. A two-way factorial analysis of covariance assessed interaction and main effects of group and time. Results indicated that boys and men showed similar pre-RET to post-RET increases in total lean (about 4 percent) and fat (7 percent) mass. Both groups had lower age–sex matched norm values at discharge for peak torque (boys 36 percent; men 51 percent of normative values) and peak VO2 (boys: 44; men: 59 percent). Boys strength were 13 to 15 percent lower than men at discharge and after RET. Cardiorespiratory fitness improved to a greater extent in men (19 percent) compared with boys (10 percent) after the RET. These results show that at discharge and after RET, burn injury may have age-dependent effects and should be considered when evaluating efficacy and progress of the exercise program.

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