Relationship between exercise capacity and quality of life in adolescents with asthma

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the quality of life of adolescents with asthma correlates with parameters obtained prior to and after the six-minute step test (6MST); spirometric results after the 6MST; and level of physical activity. METHODS: Nineteen adolescents with asthma, ranging from 11-15 years of age, were assessed with spirometry, 6MST, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ), and the 10-point Borg category-ratio scale. RESULTS: Sensation of dyspnea correlated negatively with the total PAQLQ score (r = −0.54) and with the scores of its activity limitation (AL) and symptoms domains (r = −0.64 and r = −0.63, respectively), leg fatigue also correlating negatively with those same domains (r = −0.49 and r = −0.56, respectively). The total IPAQ score correlated with the total PAQLQ score (r = 0.47) and with the PAQLQ AL domain (r = 0.51); IPAQ time spent walking correlated with the PAQLQ symptoms domain (r = 0.45); and IPAQ time spent in vigorous activity correlated with the AL domain (r = 0.50). In the regression analysis, only sensation of dyspnea remained significantly correlated with the total PAQLQ score and the PAQLQ AL domain; leg fatigue remained significantly correlated with the symptoms domain. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of physical activity indicate better quality of life, as do lower perception of dyspnea and less leg fatigue. The 6MST proved to be a viable option for evaluating exercise capacity in adolescents with asthma, because it reflects the discomfort that asthma causes during activities of daily living.

Physical activity and asthma control level in children and adolescents

“…Basso et al . assessed the association between quality of life in adolescents with asthma and parameters in the 6‐min step test, spirometry and physical activity level, and concluded that higher levels of physical activity indicate a better quality of life . In addition, Matsunaga et al .…”

“…Basso et al assessed the association between quality of life in adolescents with asthma and parameters in the 6-min step test, spirometry and physical activity level, and concluded that higher levels of physical activity indicate a better quality of life. 27 In addition, Matsunaga et al conducted a study with Brazilian asthmatic children and adolescents and concluded that quality of life seems to be directly related to asthma control level. 28 We used IPAQ as the only validated instrument to measure the physical activity level in asthmatic children and adolescents who were not in crisis.…”

Evaluation of quality of life according to asthma control and asthma severity in children and adolescents

“…Basso et al performed spirometry and the six-minute step test (6MST) in, as well as administering physical activity and quality of life questionnaires to, 19 adolescents with asthma (11-15 years of age) in Brazil. 30 Those authors concluded that the sensation of dyspnea and leg fatigue reported at the end of the 6MST reflected the discomfort that asthma caused during their activities of daily living.…”

“…Therefore, those authors demonstrated that asthma causes discomfort in the daily lives of asthma patients, and that this discomfort will consequently result in greater limitation of activities of daily living in patients with poorly controlled asthma and greater asthma severity. 30 , 31 …”

Test de caminata de seis minutos y función pulmonar en pacientes con bronquiolitis obliterante post infecciosa

“…Uno de los métodos de evaluación más ampliamente empleados para la cuantificación de la tolerancia al ejercicio en pacientes con ERC es el C6M, gracias a su aplicabilidad y validación en diversas enfermedades, así como también, al bajo costo que implica su realización 7,12,13,17 . Sin embargo, son escasos los estudios que han evaluado la asociación entre el deterioro de la función pulmonar y el rendimiento en pruebas de evaluación de la capacidad física en pacientes con BO.…”