Oxygen uptake kinetics during treadmill walking in adolescents with clinically stable cystic fibrosis.

Background: Oxygen uptake (V̇O) kinetics have been shown to be slowed in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) during heavy-intensity cycling and maximal exercise testing.

Objectives: This study investigated V̇O kinetics in adolescents with CF compared to control adolescents (CON) during a treadmill-walking exercise.

Methods: Eight adolescents with CF and mild-to-moderate pulmonary obstruction (5 girls; 13.1 ± 2.5 years; FEV 67.8 ± 21.4%) and 18 CON adolescents (10 girls; 13.8 ± 1.8 years) were recruited. Pulmonary gas exchange and ventilation were measured during a single transition of 10 min of treadmill walking and a 5 min seated recovery period. Participant's walking speed was determined during a one-minute self-paced walking task along a 50-m corridor. A six-parameter, non-linear regression model was used to describe the changes in V̇O function during the treadmill walking and recovery, with monoexponential curve fitting used to describe the mean response time (MRT) at the onset of exercise, and the half-life (TV̇O) at the offset of exercise. V̇O baseline and amplitude, minute ventilation and respiratory equivalents were recorded.

Results: V̇O kinetics were slower in CF group compared to CON group during the treadmill walking with a greater MRT (32 ± 14 s vs 21 ± 16 s; = .04, effect size = 0.75). The TV̇O2 was prolonged during recovery in CF group compared to CON group (86 ± 24 s vs 56 ± 22 s; = .04, effect size = 1.31). The mean VE/V̇CO during exercise was the only parameter significantly greater in CF group compared to CON group (32.9 ± 2.3 vs 29.0 ± 2.4; < .01, effect size = 1.66).

Conclusion: V̇O kinetics were found to be slowed in adolescents with CF during treadmill walking.