Study design (if review, criteria of inclusion for studies)
randomised controlled trial
Participants
39 Swiss patients with CF, also compared with age-matched Swiss (n=35) and German (n=701) CF registry data.
Interventions
Long-term exercise training. Patients were randomly divided into strength training (ST, n=12), endurance training (AT, n=17) and controls (CONCH, n=10).
Outcome measures
Primary outcome was FEV1 at 6months.
Main results
FEV1 increased significantly in both training groups compared with CONCH (AT:+5.8+/-0.95, ST:+7.4+/-2.5, CONCH:-11.5+/-2.7% predicted, p<0.001) and both registry groups at 6months. At 24months, changes in favour of the training groups persisted marginally compared with CONCH, but not compared with registry data.
Authors' conclusions
A partially supervised training over 6months improved FEV1 but effects were basically gone 18months off training. Regular long-term training should be promoted as essential part of treatment in CF.
Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Child; exercise; non pharmacological intervention - devices OR physiotherapy; training; non pharmacological intervention - psyco-soc-edu-org; strength training;