title: Aerobic fitness in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have lower physical fitness compared to healthy children, and to determine the clinical relevance of this impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and SPORTDiscus. The appropriate titles were identified and the data were extracted from these publications. The maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak; in ml.kg-1.min-1) during a maximal exercise test until volitional exhaustion was used as the main outcome for this review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine studies were identified in the literature. Data from 5 studies (144 patients) were pooled in a metaanalysis. The VO2peak of the patients with JIA was 21.8% (95% CI 13.7, 29.9) lower than that of healthy children (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the metaanalysis suggest that children with JIA have moderate to heavy impairment in physical fitness as represented by maximal oxygen consumption compared to healthy children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Physical Therapy, University Hospital for Children and Youth Het Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takken
authors.forename: Arlette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hemel
authors.forename: Janjaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Net
authors.forename: Paul J M
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Helders
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D010809:Physical Fitness