Aerobic exercise improves lung function in children with intellectual disability: a randomised trial

Question

In children with intellectual disability, is lung function lower than in healthy peers and does it improve with exercise?

Design

Randomised trial with intention-to-treat analysis and assessor blinding.

Participants

Forty-four 12-year old children with Down syndrome or other intellectual disability with an average IQ of 42 (SD 8).

Intervention

The experimental group performed aerobic exercise for 30 minutes, five days per week, for eight weeks. The exercise was supervised walking, running, and cycling, with a target of moderate intensity. The control group continued usual activities and performed no specific exercise.

Outcome measures

Lung function as FEV₁ and FVC in litres was measured with spirometry at baseline and after the intervention at eight weeks. Prior to the baseline measures, all participants underwent familiarisation of spirometry for one week.

Results

At baseline, FEV₁ of the children with intellectual disability was a mean of 87% (95% CI 83 to 91) and FVC was 94% (95% CI 91 to 97) of predicted normal values. After intervention, FEV₁ had increased by 160 ml (95% CI 30 to 290) and FVC by 330 ml (95% CI 200 to 460) more in the experimental group than the control group.

Conclusion

An 8-week program of aerobic exercise improves lung function in children with intellectual disability significantly.