Children with severe burns display no sex difference in exercise capacity at hospital discharge or adaptation after exercise rehabilitation training

Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J81108

Journal:

Burns

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2018 , 44, 5, 1187-1194

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study investigated the effect of a rehabilitative exercise training (RET) program on body composition, strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness in boys and girls with burn injuries. The RET regimen consisted of alternating resistance and aerobic exercise training up to 5 days per week. Twenty-five girls were matched to 26 boys for burn injury and underwent testing for body composition, exercise strength, and aerobic capacity both before and after RET. Lean body mass (LBM), strength (peak torque) and peak oxygen consumption (VO2) were normalized to kilograms of LBM and compared as a percentage of values for 26 age- and sex-matched non-burned children at discharge and after aerobic and resistance RET. The non-burned child did not complete RET and was used only as a non-burn reference for body composition, strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Two-way (group-by-time) analysis of variance found both groups had similar change in LBM (about 13 percent less) at discharge and about 7 percent less LBM after RET. Likewise, peak VO2 increased in both groups by 15 percent. Results suggest that burned children exercise at greater percentage of their peak VO2 and peak heart rate compared to non-burned children. Findings further indicate that the burn injury does not have sex-dependent effects on LBM or exercise capacity in severely burn injured children. Differences in relative peak VO2 and peak heart rate suggest the need for burn specific exercise programs for improving the efficacy of a rehabilitation program.

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