BMC pulmonary medicine
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BMC pulmonary medicine · Aug 2014
Comparative StudyCardiorespiratory responses to 6-minute walk test in interstitial lung disease: not always a submaximal test.
The 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) is used to measure exercise capacity and assess prognosis in interstitial lung disease (ILD). Although the 6 MWT is usually considered to be a test of submaximal exercise capacity in ILD, the physiological load imposed by this test is not well described and 6 MWT outcomes are poorly understood. This study aimed to compare cardiorespiratory responses to 6 MWT and cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in people with ILD. ⋯ On average, the 6 MWT elicits a high but submaximal oxygen uptake in people with ILD. However the physiological load varies between individuals, with higher peak VO2 in those with more severe disease that may match or exceed that achieved on CPET. The 6 MWT is not always a test of submaximal exercise capacity in people with ILD.
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BMC pulmonary medicine · Aug 2014
Impact of air pollution on respiratory diseases in children with recurrent wheezing or asthma.
Air pollution has many negative health effects on the general population, especially children, subjects with underlying chronic disease and the elderly. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of traffic-related pollution on the exacerbation of asthma and development of respiratory infections in Italian children suffering from asthma or wheezing compared with healthy subjects and to estimate the association between incremental increases in principal pollutants and the incidence of respiratory symptoms. ⋯ There is a significant association between traffic-related pollution and the development of asthma exacerbations and respiratory infections in children born to atopic parents and in those suffering from recurrent wheezing or asthma. These findings suggest that environmental control may be crucial for respiratory health in children with underlying respiratory disease.