• Robert P Clayton, Paul Wurzer, Clark R Andersen, Ronald P Mlcak, David N Herndon, and Oscar E Suman.
• Shriners Hospitals for Children(®)-Galveston, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; The Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. Electronic address: rpclayto@utmb.edu.
• Burns. 2017 Jun 1; 43 (4): 796-803.

IntroductionBurns lead to persistent and detrimental muscle breakdown and weakness. Standard treatment at our institution includes a voluntary 12-week rehabilitative exercise program to limit and reverse the effects of increased muscle catabolism. In the present work, we investigated if different durations of exercise, 6 or 12 weeks, produce comparable improvements in muscle strength, body composition, and cardiopulmonary fitness.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled and randomized patients with ≥30% total body surface area (TBSA) burned to receive 6 or 12 weeks of exercise rehabilitation. Patients were evaluated for muscle strength, oxygen consumption capacity, and lean body mass at discharge (n=42) and after exercise. After 6 weeks (n=18) or 12 weeks (n=24) of exercise training, leg muscle strength was assessed as peak torque per body weight using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer. Oxygen consumption capacity, measured as peak VO2, was studied using a standard treadmill-based test, and lean body mass was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.ResultsSignificant improvements in muscle strength, peak VO2, and lean body mass were seen after 6 weeks of exercise training (p<0.001), with only significant improvements in peak VO2 being seen after 6 weeks more of training.ConclusionThese data suggest that a 6-week rehabilitative exercise program is sufficient for improving muscle strength, body composition, and cardiopulmonary fitness in pediatric burn patients. However, continuation of at- or near-home cardiopulmonary training following the 6 weeks of at-hospital rehabilitation may be useful.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

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