title: Design of a cross-sectional study on physical fitness and physical activity in children and adolescents after burn injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burn injuries have a major impact on the patient's physical and psychological functioning. The consequences can, especially in pediatric burns, persist long after the injury. A decrease in physical fitness seems logical as people survive burn injuries after an often extensive period of decreased activity and an increased demand of proteins leading to catabolism, especially of muscle mass. However, knowledge on the possibly affected levels of physical fitness in children and adolescents after burn injury is limited and pertains only to children with major burns. The current multidimensional study aims to determine the level of physical fitness, the level of physical activity, health-related quality of life and perceived fatigue in children after a burn injury. Furthermore, interrelations between those levels will be explored, as well as associations with burn characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children and adolescents in the age range of 6 up to and including 18 years are invited to participate in this cross-sectional descriptive study if they have been admitted to one of the three Dutch burn centers between 6 months and 5 years ago with a burn injury involving at least 10% of the total body surface area and/or were hospitalized ≥ 6 weeks. Physical fitness assessments will take place in a mobile exercise lab. Quantitative measures of cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, body composition and flexibility will be obtained. Outcomes will be compared with Dutch reference values. Physical activity, health-related quality of life and fatigue will be assessed using accelerometry and age-specific questionnaires.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the current study will contribute to a better understanding of the long-term consequences of burn injury in children and adolescents after burns. The results can guide rehabilitation to facilitate a timely and optimal physical recovery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The study is registered in the National Academic Research and Collaborations Information System of the Netherlands (OND1348800).
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 196, 9700 AD, Groningen, The Netherlands. L.M.Disseldorp@umcg.nl
authors.forename: Laurien M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Disseldorp
authors.forename: Leonora J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Mouton
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takken
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Brussel
authors.forename: Gerard Ijm
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Beerthuizen
authors.forename: Lucas Hv
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Van der Woude
authors.forename: Marianne K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuis
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000293:Adolescent; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D009426:Netherlands; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires