Reproducibility of the cardiopulmonary exercise test in healthy children and adolescents

• Grant number: 19/00422-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal researcher: Simone Dal Corso
• Grantee: Lincon Matheus Araujo Costa
• Home Institution: Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE). Campus Vergueiro. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is the gold standard in the evaluation of cardiovascular, pulmonary gas exchange, and metabolic responses to exertion. However, it has not yet been tested whether this test is reproducible in the Brazilian pediatric population. Aim: To test the reproducibility of the CPET and to evaluate the determinants of oxygen uptake in the pediatric population. Method: This is a cross-sectional study. Fifty children and adolescents, boy and girls, aged from 6 to 17 years, 11 months and 29 days, with normal spirometry and no history of cardiorespiratory, neuromuscular or musculoskeletal diseases will be included. Exclusion criteria will be volunteers with preterm birth, obesity, acute respiratory disease (upper respiratory infection) in the last 30 days, smokers and those who are not able to understand the test. After the anamnesis, the following evaluations will be performed: spirometry, application of the questionnaires (pubertal stage and physical activity), and two incremental cardiopulmonary exercise tests on a cycle ergometer with interval of, at least, 72 hours. Expected results: The evaluation of the reproducibility of the CPET will establish the variability of the measures obtained from the CEPT in the Brazilian infant population. This information can be used in future studies to help in the interpretation of the CPET data after interventions.