Correlation of anthropometric index and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in children with pectus excavatum.

Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a method used to evaluate functional impairment of patients with various diseases.

Objective: The objective was to use CPET to estimate the usability of anthropometric index (AI) in patients with pectus excavatum (PE) as a marker of functional impairment caused by chest deformity.

Methods: The study included 32 paediatric patients (28 males) with PE. Patients underwent CPET using a breath-by-breath exhaled gas analysis method and continuous monitoring of cardiac parameters.

Results: In both groups, two (overall four) patients met criteria for cardiogenic limitation (low VO and low OPulse). Mean VO/WR was below two standard deviations (2SD) in patients with less severe PE; other observed parameters were within normal limits (Z-score ± 2 SD). The AI had no observed correlation with peak ventilation, VOpeak and peak workload.

Conclusion: The obtained CPET data do not correlate well with the severity of chest deformity expressed with AI. There were similar physical activity limitations in both examined groups of patients and they did not depend on the severity of the deformity.