Physical activity and health related physical fitness in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objective: To obtain insight into the interaction between daily physical activity and components of health related physical fitness in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Methods: Forty five patients (10 male/35 female; mean (SD) age 8.9 (2.2) years) participated in the study. Body mass, height, skinfold thickness, number of swollen joints, and joint range of motion were determined. The maximal oxygen consumption (Vo2peak) was assessed during a graded maximal bicycle exercise test. Daily physical activity levels were measured with a Caltrac activity monitor and a parental physical activity rating (PAL) on a five point Likert scale. Results: Partial correlation coefficients (to control for age) between physical activity and indices of health related physical fitness showed significant relationships between Caltrac motion counts and absolute Vo2peak (r=0.31) and relative Vo2peak (r=0.34), but not with the indices of body composition. There was also a significant correlation between PAL and relative Vo2peak (r=0.33). Conclusions: Physical activity was significantly related to cardiorespiratory fitness but not to body composition in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. A longitudinal follow up should show whether an active lifestyle protects for loss of aerobic fitness in this patient group.

[1]  T. Rowland,et al.  Aerobic response to endurance exercise training in children. , 1995, Pediatrics.

[2]  J R Morrow,et al.  Caltrac versus calorimeter determination of 24-h energy expenditure in female children and adolescents. , 1994, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[3]  B Goldberg,et al.  Children, Sports, and Chronic Disease. , 1990, The Physician and sportsmedicine.

[4]  S. Klepper.  Effects of an eight-week physical conditioning program on disease signs and symptoms in children with chronic arthritis. , 1999, Arthritis care and research : the official journal of the Arthritis Health Professions Association.

[5]  P. Freedson,et al.  Using objective physical activity measures with youth: how many days of monitoring are needed? , 2000, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[6]  R. Mcmurray.  Developmental Exercise Physiology , 1996 .

[7]  G. Schwartz,et al.  Geometric method for measuring body surface area: a height-weight formula validated in infants, children, and adults. , 1978, The Journal of pediatrics.

[8]  R. Shephard,et al.  Autoimmune disorders, physical activity, and training, with particular reference to rheumatoid arthritis. , 1997, Exercise immunology review.

[9]  B. Simons-Morton,et al.  Validity of the physical activity interview and Caltrac with preadolescent children. , 1994, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[10]  L. Mackinnon.  Chronic exercise training effects on immune function. , 2000, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[11]  V. G. Payne,et al.  Exercise and VO2 max in children: a meta-analysis. , 1993, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[12]  T. Takken,et al.  Aerobic fitness in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a systematic review. , 2002, The Journal of rheumatology.

[13]  A. Manley.  Physical Activity And Health: A Report Of The Surgeon General , 2004 .

[14]  S. Gordon,et al.  Waging war on physical inactivity: using modern molecular ammunition against an ancient enemy. , 2002, Journal of applied physiology.

[15]  G. Alexander,et al.  Bed rest, activity and the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. , 1983, British journal of rheumatology.

[16]  C B Corbin,et al.  Measurement issues in the assessment of physical activity in children. , 2000, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[17]  J. Roitman,et al.  ACSM's Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription , 1998 .

[18]  H. Kemper,et al.  A 15-year physical activity pattern is positively related to aerobic fitness in young males and females (13–27 years) , 2001, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[19]  M. Ferraz,et al.  Pediatric Escola Paulista de Medicina Range of Motion Scale: a reduced joint count scale for general use in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. , 1999, The Journal of rheumatology.

[20]  E. Shvartz,et al.  Aerobic fitness norms for males and females aged 6 to 75 years: a review. , 1990, Aviation, space, and environmental medicine.

[21]  Victor F. Froelicher,et al.  Exercise capacity and mortality among men referred for exercise testing. , 2002, The New England journal of medicine.

[22]  J. Fries,et al.  Measurement of health status in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. , 1994, Arthritis and rheumatism.

[23]  P. Freedson,et al.  Relationship Between Habitual Physical Activity and Aerobic Fitness in Adolescents , 1994 .

[24]  P. Freedson,et al.  Age and gender differences in objectively measured physical activity in youth. , 2002, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[25]  A. Wanivenhaus,et al.  Does sport negatively influence joint scores in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis , 1992, Rheumatology International.

[26]  Nehal Shah.  Surface Anatomy , 1939, The Indian Medical Gazette.

[27]  P. D. di Prampero,et al.  The maximum oxygen intake. An international reference standard of cardiorespiratory fitness. , 1968, Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

[28]  B. Specker,et al.  Physical activity in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: quantification and evaluation. , 1995, Arthritis care and research : the official journal of the Arthritis Health Professions Association.

[29]  W. Kuis,et al.  The Dutch version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ). , 2001, Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology.

[30]  D. Schmidt,et al.  Measurement of cardio-respiratory fitness and body composition in the clinical setting. , 1980, Comprehensive therapy.

[31]  J. Sallis,et al.  The Caltrac accelerometer as a physical activity monitor for school-age children. , 1990, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[32]  B. Franklin,et al.  Physical Activity for the Chronically Ill and Disabled , 2000, Sports medicine.