title: Effects of an educational intervention of physical activity for children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regular aerobic exercise in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) improves aerobic conditioning and delays disease progression, resulting in better quality of life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an aerobic exercise program based on verbal and written guidelines on maximum exercise capacity using a cardiopulmonary exercise test, quality of life, and the self-reported aerobic exercise practice of children and adolescents with CF.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized controlled trial followed guidelines for physical exercise in a CF center. Subjects were assigned to 2 groups: intervention (group 1), with 17 subjects; and control (group 2), also with 17 subjects. Data were collected from October 2010 to October 2011, and the study population comprised 7-20-y-old children and adolescents with CF. The intervention consisted of handing out a manual with guidelines for aerobic physical exercises and reinforcing recommendations in telephone calls every 2 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-four subjects were included in the study, 20 of whom were boys (58.5%). The groups were similar at baseline. In group 1, 6 subjects (35.2%) reported practicing physical exercises regularly. The mean age was 13.4 ± 2.8 y, the mean percent-of-predicted FEV1 was 95.5 ± 17.9%, and the mean peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2 ) relative to body mass was 34.9 ± 9.0 mL/kg/min. In group 2, 4 subjects (23.5%) reported practicing physical exercises regularly. The mean age was 12.7 ± 3.3 y, the mean percent-of-predicted FEV1 was 100.1 ± 21.2%, and the mean peak V̇O2 was 33.2 ± 8.2 mL/kg/min. In group 1, there was a significant increase in physical exercise practice as reported by subjects after 3 months of intervention compared with group 2 (P = .01). No statistically significant differences were found for the other variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Verbal and written guidelines for aerobic exercise, together with supervision over the telephone, had a positive impact on the self-reported regular physical exercise practice of children and adolescents. However, no improvement was found in lung function and maximum exercise capacity or domains of the quality of life questionnaire.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Fisioterapia, Centro Universitario Franciscano (UNIFRA), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. patixh@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Patrícia Xavier
authors.initials: PX
authors.lastname: Hommerding
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Educação Física e Ciencias do desporto, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.affiliation: Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Makarewicz
authors.affiliation: Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Schindel
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Enfermagem, Nutrição e Fisioterapia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio V F
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Donadio
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo J C
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Marostica
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012057:Reinforcement, Verbal; D013689:Telephone; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adolescents; aerobic exercise; children; cystic fibrosis; maximal exercise test; quality of life