Treadmill exercise in Neapolitan children and adolescents

Maffulli N, Greco R, Greco L, D'Alterio D. Treadmill exercise in Neopolitan children and adolescents. Acta Pædiatr 1994;83:106–112. Stockholm ISSN 0803–5253
Two hundred and eighty healthy children from Naples, Italy (140 boys and 140 girls) aged 4–17 years were studied using Bruce walking treadmill protocol to voluntary exhaustion. Endurance time and double product increased with age. Systolic blood pressure increased linearly during the test. Multivariate analysis showed that body weight and age were the best predictors of endurance time. Endurance time averaged 15.2 ± 2.8 min in boys and 13.7 ± 2.3 min in girls ( p = 0.0001). Mean±SD double product at peak exercise was 264.3 ± 63 (boys) and 242 ± 44 (girls) ( p = 0.01). Sinus arrhythmia was present in 78% of the children and disappeared at a mean heart rate of 112 ± 16 beats/min during exercise. The voltage of the R wave on V₄ lead decreased in all but four children during the test (delta R= -0.25±0.24 mV). The P and T waves increased in almost all children. No ST depression or upward sloping was detected. The voltage of the PR isoelectric line remained constant. The J point was displaced downwards in 78% of children, unchanged in 11% and displaced upwards in the remaining 11% of the children. The present study gives reference parameters for a walking treadmill test in Southern European children.