Twelve children with exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) participated in our physical training program to determine whether it improves physical working capacity and EIB. The effect of physical training on the bronchial reactivity to inhaled 3.6% NaCl was also investigated. The training was performed by bicycle ergometer for four weeks every day at 125% of WBPLA1 (work load at first breaking point of lactic acid). The results obtained were as follows. 1. Heart rate decreased from 188.5 +/- 9.6 bpm before to 178.4 +/- 9.7 bpm after training at 150% of WBPLA1 (p less than 0.05). After training at 175% of WBPLA1 it decreased also from 174.0 +/- 11.9 bpm to 165.6 +/- 11.3 bpm. Maximum oxygen consumption increased from 34.5 +/- 3.5 ml/min/kg to 41.4 +/- 4.0 ml/min/kg after training (p less than 0.001). 2. Max. % fall in FEV1.0 decreased from 27.1 +/- 24.0% before to 18.0 +/- 17.1% after training at 150% of WBPLA1 (p less than 0.05). After training at 175% of WBPLA1 it decreased also from 37.4 +/- 17.4% to 30.0 +/- 22.1%. 3. The mean dose of inhaled 3.6% NaCl inducing 20% fall in FEV1.0 (PD20) was 4.2 +/- 5.9 ml before training. The PD20 was significantly higher after training (8.6 +/- 4.0 ml). There was no significant change in PD20 in the control group. Based on these results, it was concluded that physical training increased physical working capacity and improved EIB and bronchial hyperreactivity to inhaled 3.6% NaCl in asthmatic children.
Adolescent Asthma