Objective: To compare health-related physical fitness (HRPF) in patients with severe adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) according to the deficiency onset phase, and to evaluate the effects of a six-months human growth hormone (rhGH) replacement therapy on HRPF, in a subgroup of patients. Methods: First arm: cross-sectional observational study at baseline of naive rhGH multiple pituitary hormonal deficiency (MPHD) hypopituitarism patients - adult-onset growth hormone deficiency (AO-GHD) versus child onset growth hormone deficiency (CO-GHD). Second arm: a 6-month intervention clinical trial in a selected group of a non-randomized, non-controlled cohort. HRPF was evaluated by measuring isokinetic and isometric torque stensor strength at the knee using an isokinetic dynamometer, handgrip strength and six-minute walk test. Body composition was assessed by DXA. Results: Patients who presented AO-GHD had higher BMI than CO-GHD (28.1±3.5 x 22.4±4.8; p=0.017), but body composition (lean body mass%:57.9±7.9 x 58.9±8.6;p=0.816/fatty body mass%:39.3±6.8 x 36.0±9.1;p=0.434), stensor peak torque/body weight at 60, 90 and 180deg/s (2.18±0.6 x 2.18±0.6; p=0.580/1.99±0.5 x 2.14±0.5;p=0.546/1.52±0.4 x 1.64±0.4;p=0.547), isometric torque/body weight at the knee (2.62±0.7 x 2.91±0.6;p=0.357) and six-minute walk test (570.2±76.0cm x 554.1±91.0cm;p= 0.703) did not differ between groups. Handgrip strength test also showed significant reduction in scores for age and gender in both groups of GHD patients. After six months of rhGH, no improvement in muscular strength tests was found. There was a significant worsening in the six-minute walk test (575.1±84cm x 545.4±90.6cm; p=0.033) despite the improvement in body composition (lean body mass%:59.7±8.6 x 63.6±11.1;p=0.005/fatty body mass%:35.7±9.2 x 32.9±10.0;p=0.003). Conclusion: Despite differences in BMI, there were no other differences in HRPF between AO-GHD and CO-GHD patients. The decrease of the six-minute walking test performance after rhGH replacement therapy supports the clinical evidence that the GH regulates bioenergetics in human skeletal muscle fibers. Although the treatment had a short period, GH might have stimulated the anaerobic and suppressed the aerobic energy system.
BACKGROUND: Firefighting is a physically demanding profession. Firefighters (FFs) need adequate physical fitness (PF) to perform duty tasks efficiently. While FFs’ work demands are constant throughout their career, there is an expected age-related decline in PF. OBJECTIVE: To describe longitudinal changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) based on a fixed (12.0 METs) and an age-adjusted standard and compare the prevalence of fit/unfit firefighters (FFs) over eight years. METHODS: 297 Brazilian male firefighters were randomly selected. CRF was assessed by the 12-minute Cooper test. To compare the prevalence’s of fit/unfit FFs depending on the standard (12 METs vs. age-adjusted), the McNemar test was used. RESULTS: The reduction in the prevalence of fit firefighters was 4.4-fold higher when the analysis did not consider age. CONCLUSION: After eight years, the prevalence of fit FFs decreased by 30.5% based on the fixed standard, while this reduction was only 7% when using an age-adjusted standard.
BACKGROUND: Minimum cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has been recommended for firefighters due to job requirements. Thus, it is important to identify accurate and readily available methods to assess CRF in this population. Non-exercise CRF estimates (NEx-CRF) have been proposed but this approach requires validation in this population. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of a NEx-CRF, as compared to a field maximum exercise test, among career military firefighters of both genders using a comprehensive agreement analysis. METHODS: We evaluated the accuracy of a NEx-CRF estimate compared to the Cooper 12 min running test among 702 males and 106 female firefighters. RESULTS: Cooper and NEx-CRF tests yielded similar CRF in both genders (differences <1.8±4.7 ml/kg–1.min–1; effect size <0.34). However, NEx-CRF underestimated Cooper-derived CRF among the fittest firefighters. NEx-CRF showed moderate to high sensitivity/specificity to detect fit or unfit firefighters (71.9% among men and 100% among women). Among men, the NEx-CRF method correctly identified most firefighters with less than 11 METs or greater than 13 METs, but showed lower precision to discriminate those with CRF between 11–13 METs. CONCLUSIONS: The NEx-CRF method to estimate firefighters’ CRF may be considered as an alternative method when an exercise-based method is not available or may be used to identify those who require more traditional testing (CRF 11–13METs).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.