Research Article: Exercise Capacity in Very Low Birth Weight Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Abstract:
There is an association between very low birth weight (VLBW) and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Aerobic fitness, measured as the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), is a good indicator of cardiopulmonary health and predictor of cardiovascular mortality. Our aim was to determine the effect of birth weight on aerobic exercise capacity and physical activity. We systematically identified studies reporting exercise capacity (VO2 max and VO2 peak) and physical activity levels in participants born at VLBW aged eighteen years or older compared to term-born controls from six databases (MEDLINE, OVID, EMBASE, CI NAHL, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar). Meta-analysis of eligible studies was conducted using a random effect model. We screened 6202 articles and identified 15 relevant studies, 10 of which were eligible for meta-analysis. VLBW participants had a lower VO2 max compared to their term counterparts (?3.35, 95% CI: ?5.23 to ?1.47, p = 0.0005), as did VLBW adults who had developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (?6.08, 95% CI ?11.26 to ?0.90, p = 0.02). Five of nine studies reported significantly reduced self-reported physical activity levels. Our systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated reduced maximal aerobic exercise capacity in adults born at VLBW compared to term-born controls.
Introduction:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15–20% infants worldwide are born at a low birth weight (LBW, <2500 g) [1]. Since the introduction of neonatal intensive care units, there has been a dramatic improvement in survival rates of very low birth weight infants (VLBW, <1500 g) [2,3]. The increased survival has resulted in a focus on morbidity and mortality of these cohorts in later life.
Read more