• David R Schieffelers, Dorien Dombrecht, Cynthia Lafaire, Lieve De Cuyper, Thomas Rose, Martijn Vandewal, Jill Meirte, Nick Gebruers, Eric van Breda, and Ulrike Van Daele.
• Multidisciplinary Metabolic Research Unit (M2RUN), MOVANT Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: david.schieffelers@gmail.com.
• Burns. 2023 Nov 1; 49 (7): 160216131602-1613.

ObjectivesExercise training during the acute phase of burns is difficult to implement but offers potential benefits. This multicenter trial explored the effects of an exercise program on muscular changes and quality of life during burn center stay.MethodsFifty-seven adults with burns ranging between 10% and 70% TBSA were allocated to receive either standard of care (n = 29), or additionally exercise (n = 28), consisting of resistance and aerobic training, commenced as early as possible according to safety criteria. Muscle wasting (primary outcome), quantified by ultrasound-derived quadriceps muscle layer thickness (QMLT) and rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RF-CSA), muscle strength and quality of life (Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B) and EQ-5D-5L) were assessed at baseline, four and eight weeks later, or hospital discharge. Mixed models were used to analyze between-group changes over time with covariates of interest added in stepwise forward modeling.ResultsThe addition of exercise training to standard of care induced significant improvements in QMLT, RF-CSA, muscle strength and the BSHS-B subscale hand function (ß-coefficient. 0.055 cm/week of QMLT, p = 0.005). No added benefit was observed for other quality-of-life measures.ConclusionsExercise training, administered during the acute phase of burns, reduced muscle wasting, and improved muscle strength throughout burn center stay.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

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