title: Cardiopulmonary stress testing in children with sickle cell disease who are on long-term erythrocytapheresis.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility and safety of symptom-limited cardiopulmonary stress testing (CPST) in children with sickle cell disease (SCD), who are on long-term erythrocytapheresis. Maximal symptom-limited CPST was performed in 16 children with SCD who were maintained on long-term erythrocytapheresis and the exercise response in this patient cohort was compared with those of a healthy control population. All patients completed the CPST without any complications. Twelve patients with SCD had significant reduction in aerobic capacity [peak oxygen consumption (VO2) <80% predicted]. No patient demonstrated evidence of myocardial ischemia. In summary, symptom-limited CPST can be performed safely in a subgroup of children with SCD and can yield valuable clinical information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. bdas99@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Bibhuti B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sobczyk
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertolone
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raj
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values