TY - JOUR
T1 - Systematic review of the effects of physical exercise training programmes in children and young adults with congenital heart disease
AU - Duppen, N.
AU - Takken, T.
AU - Hopman, M. T. E.
AU - ten Harkel, A. D. J.
AU - Dulfer, K.
AU - Utens, E. M. W. J.
AU - Helbing, W. A.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Most patients with congenital heart disease (ConHD) do not perform regular physical exercise. Consensus reports have stated that exercise should be encouraged and regularly performed in these patients, but this is not common practise. We reviewed the literature on actual evidence for either negative or positive effects of physical exercise training programmes in children and young adults with ConHD. Using the Medline database, we systematically searched for articles on physical exercise training programmes in ConHD. A total of 31 articles met all inclusion criteria; in total, 621 subjects (age range 4 to 45 years) were included. Most studies used training programmes with a duration of 12 weeks. On average, the number of training sessions was 3 times per week. In 12 studies, training intensity was set at a percentage of peak heart rate. Outcome measures reported were PeakVO2, activity levels and muscle strength. Twenty-three studies (72%) found a significant positive change in the main outcome measure after the physical exercise training period. None of the studies reported negative findings related to physical exercise training in ConHD. Cardiac effects have hardly been studied. In most studies, participation in a physical exercise training programme was safe and improved fitness in children and young adults with ConHD. We recommend that patients with ConHD participate in physical exercise training. Cardiac effects need to be studied more extensively
AB - Most patients with congenital heart disease (ConHD) do not perform regular physical exercise. Consensus reports have stated that exercise should be encouraged and regularly performed in these patients, but this is not common practise. We reviewed the literature on actual evidence for either negative or positive effects of physical exercise training programmes in children and young adults with ConHD. Using the Medline database, we systematically searched for articles on physical exercise training programmes in ConHD. A total of 31 articles met all inclusion criteria; in total, 621 subjects (age range 4 to 45 years) were included. Most studies used training programmes with a duration of 12 weeks. On average, the number of training sessions was 3 times per week. In 12 studies, training intensity was set at a percentage of peak heart rate. Outcome measures reported were PeakVO2, activity levels and muscle strength. Twenty-three studies (72%) found a significant positive change in the main outcome measure after the physical exercise training period. None of the studies reported negative findings related to physical exercise training in ConHD. Cardiac effects have hardly been studied. In most studies, participation in a physical exercise training programme was safe and improved fitness in children and young adults with ConHD. We recommend that patients with ConHD participate in physical exercise training. Cardiac effects need to be studied more extensively
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.05.086
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.05.086
M3 - Article
C2 - 23746621
SN - 0167-5273
VL - 168
SP - 1779
EP - 1787
JO - International journal of cardiology
JF - International journal of cardiology
IS - 3
ER -