Six Months of Exercise Training Improves Ventilatory Responses during Exercise in Adults with Well-Healed Burn Injuries

Joseph C. Watso, Steven A. Romero, Gilbert Moralez, M. U. Huang, Matthew N. Cramer, Manall F. Jaffery, Bryce N. Balmain, Daniel P. Wilhite, Tony G. Babb, Craig G. Crandall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction Pulmonary function is lower after a severe burn injury, which could influence ventilatory responses during exercise. It is unclear whether exercise training improves pulmonary function or ventilatory responses during exercise in adults with well-healed burn injuries. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that exercise training improves pulmonary function and ventilatory responses during exercise in adults with well-healed burn injuries. Methods Thirty-nine adults (28 with well-healed burn injuries and 11 non-burn-injured controls) completed 6 months of unsupervised, progressive exercise training including endurance, resistance, and high-intensity interval components. Before and after exercise training, we performed comprehensive pulmonary function testing and measured ventilatory responses during cycling exercise. We compared variables using two-way ANOVA (group-time; i.e., preexercise/postexercise training (repeated factor)). Results Exercise training did not increase percent predicted spirometry, lung diffusing capacity, or airway resistance measures (time: P ≥ 0.14 for all variables). However, exercise training reduced minute ventilation (VE; time: P ≤ 0.05 for 50 and 75 W) and the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen (VE/VO2; time: P < 0.001 for 75 W) during fixed-load exercise for both groups. The ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2) during exercise at 75 W was reduced after exercise training (time: P = 0.04). The percentage of age-predicted maximum heart rate at the ventilatory threshold was lower in adults with well-healed burn injuries before (P = 0.002), but not after (P = 0.22), exercise training. Lastly, exercise training increased VEand reduced VE/VO2during maximal exercise (time: P = 0.005 for both variables). Conclusions These novel findings demonstrate that exercise training can improve ventilatory responses during exercise in adults with well-healed burn injuries.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)765-776
Number of pages12
JournalMedicine and science in sports and exercise
Volume55
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2023

Keywords

  • Inhalation Injury
  • Lung Diffusing Capacity
  • Lung Volumes
  • Maximal Voluntary Ventilation
  • Spirometry

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
  • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

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