title: Effects of an exercise program in children with cystic fibrosis: are there differences between females and males?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the adaptive responses of an in-patient exercise program in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and evaluate the effects of sex.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 158 female and 186 male subjects with CF (age, 12 to 43 years) were studied during a 6-week rehabilitation course. A maximal incremental cycling test was used to determine exercise capacity and responses after 6 weeks of exercise training. Measures included lung function, peak oxygen uptake, peak workload, and peak heart rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lung function values were lower in males (P < .05). Females had a lower aerobic capacity (P < .05) at the beginning and at the end of the exercise training program. Similar training effects (P > .05) were seen between sexes in peak oxygen uptake (mL/min, mL/kg/min) and peak heart rate (beats/min) but not in peak workload (Watts, W/kg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The exercise program improved the fitness level similarly in females and males with CF. Basic physiological sex differences were still seen at the beginning and end of the training, despite the better lung function in females. Moreover, the finding suggested that fitness level and not lung function determined the response to training in CF, with those who were less fit at baseline having the largest response to training.
authors.affiliation: AHG Allgemeine Hospital Gesellschaft, Düsseldorf, Germany. gruber-wolfgang@tonline.de
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Orenstein
authors.forename: Klaus Michael
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Braumann
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hüls
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult