Use of new paediatric VO2max reference equations to evaluate aerobic fitness in overweight or obese children with congenital heart disease
Authors' conclusion
As opposed to the existing linear models, the new paediatric VO2max Z-score equations can discriminate the aerobic fitness of obese/overweight children with CHD from that of obese/overweight children without any chronic disease.
Study context
- Population
- Children with body mass index (BMI) > 85th percentile undergoing cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET)54% boys
- Participants
- 344 children
- Exposure
- CHD vs Controls
- CHDn = 100
- Controlsn = 244reference
- Outcome
- Aerobic fitness by paediatric VO2max Z-score reference equations
Methodological detailscontrolled, matched comparisons
- Controlled
- Matched comparisons
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
VO2max Z-score
CHD
−0.43
mean · SD 1.27
Controls
−0.01
mean · SD 1.09
P = 0.02
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Impaired aerobic fitness (Z-score equations) · matched controls
P = 0.02
Complex CHD at risk of impaired aerobic fitness
- Z-score equations identified univentricular heart and right outflow tract anomalies as at risk
Aerobic fitness by Cooper's weight- and height-based linear equations
- No significant group differences
Original publication
Use of new paediatric VO2max reference equations to evaluate aerobic fitness in overweight or obese children with congenital heart disease. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 14 June 2023. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it