Use of exercise in the management of cystic fibrosis: Short communication about a survey of cystic fibrosis referral centers

Abstract

A survey of 47 cystic fibrosis referral centers was conducted to study the use of exercise in the management of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). A questionnaire with 5 brief questions concerning the prescription and application of exercise therapy was sent to the first 47 centers (38.5%) listed in the 1988 CF Foundation Directory, and 46 (97.9%) were returned. While all but one of the respondents recommend exercise at least to selected patients, and while 80.4% of the centers refer patients to summer camp programs, only 43.5% offer exercise stress testing and only 21.7% offer an exercise program for their patients. Most of the respondents who recommend exercise prescribe aerobic exercise, swimming being the most frequently chosen type. Although there is a large discrepancy between those centers that acknowledge the benefits of exercise and those that have arranged for regularly available exercise services, inroads have been made in utilizing this therapeutic tool for patients with CF.

A survey of exercise testing and training in UK cystic fibrosis clinics

“…Similar conclusions were made from surveys investigating the use of exercise testing and training in CF centres in the different healthcare systems of the US and Germany [13,14]. Surveys in the US and Germany reported that exercise testing is performed in 43.5% and 63.0% of CF clinics, respectively.…”

Cystic fibrosis and physiological responses to exercise

“…Similar figures (44 and 63%, respectively) have been reported in CF centers in the US and Germany [13,14]. Furthermore, there is a notable lack of protocol standardization.…”

“…Provision of CPET in CF Current provision of exercise testing in both clinical and research assessments remains limited [6,13,14]. As outlined by Stevens et al [6], exercise testing is underused (53% uptake) within CF clinics across the UK, despite the care teams recognizing its value [6].…”

Comparison of physical activity in adolescents with cystic fibrosis versus age-matched controls

“…23 There has been concern about reduced oxygen saturation with exercise for some patients with CF. Henke and Orenstein found that patients with an FEV 1 Յ50% of predicted values were much more likely to have larger declines in oxygen saturation than those patients with an FEV 1 above 50% predicted.…”