title: Individualized aerobic and high intensity training for asthmatic children in an exercise readaptation program. Is training always helpful for better adaptation to exercise?
abstract: In order to define the role of individualized training intensity in a conditioning program for asthmatic children, we have trained seven asthmatics (age = 11.4 +/- 1.8 years) at their ventilatory threshold (VTh) intensity level for a three-month period (aerobic training) and at maximal intensity also for three months (high intensity training). VTh is the point at which a nonlinear increase of VE occurs. Another group of seven asthmatics (age = 11.4 +/- 1.5) served as control subjects. Cardiopulmonary fitness was determined on a cycle ergometer before and after each training session. This study demonstrated that aerobic training, correctly adapted to the child's physical ability, induces the following: (1) a rapid and marked cardiovascular fitness increase; and (2) a decrease in VE over a given work range so that VTh is increased. This is of great importance because hyperventilation is a major determinant of exercise-induced bronchospasm. In contrast, even if high intensity training is well tolerated in an indoor swimming pool, the long-term effects are unsuitable for asthmatic children because the decrease of VTh will involve an increase of hyperventilation, even when exercise is performed at submaximal intensity.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital de l'Aiguelongue, Service d'Exploration Fonctionnelle Respiratoire, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Varray
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mercier
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Terral
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Prefaut
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008448:Maximal Expiratory Flow Rate; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D013550:Swimming; D014797:Vital Capacity