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Martínez-Zamora MD, Martín-Martínez C, Martínez-de-Quel Ó, Valenzuela PL. Influence of Preterm Birth and Low Birthweight on Physical Fitness: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression. Sports Med 2024; 54:1907-1919. [PMID: 38709451 PMCID: PMC11258071 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-024-02026-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm birth and low birthweight (LBW) might be associated with reduced physical fitness, although evidence remains inconclusive. OBJECTIVE To examine the influence of preterm birth and LBW on physical fitness, as well as to assess whether variables such as gestational age, birthweight, or age at assessment moderate these effects. METHODS PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO were systematically searched from inception to 7 December 2023 for case-control and cohort studies analyzing the association between preterm birth or LBW (or gestational age or birthweight as continuous variables) with at least one physical fitness-related outcome (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscle strength, flexibility, speed, agility). Random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression models were used to estimate the pooled effect size, as well as to examine potential associations between the magnitude of the effect and gestational age, birthweight, or age at assessment. RESULTS Fifty-two studies (n = 920,603 participants, average age ranging from 4.7 to 34.4 years) were included. Preterm birth was associated with reduced CRF (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.51 to -0.25) and muscle strength (SMD = -0.44, 95% CI = -0.79 to -0.08). LBW was associated with reduced CRF (SMD = -0.40, 95% CI = -0.64 to -0.17), muscle strength (SMD = -0.18, 95% CI = -0.24 to -0.13), flexibility (SMD = -0.11, 95% CI = -0.22 to -0.01), and agility (SMD = -0.99, 95% CI = -1.91 to -0.07). Meta-regression analyses showed that a lower gestational age or birthweight were associated with larger reductions in physical fitness, whereas no consistent association was found for the age at assessment. CONCLUSION Both preterm birth and LBW seem associated with reduced physical fitness regardless of age, with larger reductions overall observed in individuals with lower gestational age or birthweight. These findings might support the implementation of preventive strategies (e.g., fitness monitoring and physical exercise interventions) in these populations through the life course. PROSPERO registration: CRD42021231845.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Óscar Martínez-de-Quel
- Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Faculty of Sciences for Physical Activity and Sport (INEF), Polytechnic University of Madrid, C/Martín Fierro, 7, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Pedro L Valenzuela
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.
- Physical Activity and Health Research Group (PaHerg), Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre ('imas12'), Centro de Actividades Ambulatorias, 7ª Planta, Bloque D, Av. de Córdoba s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain.
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Steenhorst JJ, Helbing WA, van Genuchten WJ, Bowen DJ, van den Bosch A, van der Velde N, Kamphuis LS, Merkus D, Reiss IK, Hirsch A. Cardiac dysfunction during exercise in young adults with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. ERJ Open Res 2024; 10:00501-2023. [PMID: 38887679 PMCID: PMC11181055 DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00501-2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Worldwide, 1-2% of children are born premature and at risk for developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Preterm-born adults are at risk for early cardiovascular disease. The role of BPD is unclear. This study aims to examine cardiorespiratory function during submaximal exercise in young adult survivors of extreme prematurity, with or without BPD. Methods 40 preterm-born young adults, 20 with BPD (median gestational age 27 weeks, interquartile range (IQR) 26-28 weeks) and 20 without BPD (median gestational age 28 weeks, IQR 27-29 weeks) were prospectively compared to age-matched at term-born adults (median gestational age 39 weeks, IQR 38-40 weeks). Participants underwent exercise testing and cardiovascular magnetic resonance with submaximal exercise. Results Resting heart rate in BPD subjects was higher than in at term-born subjects (69±10 mL versus 61±7 mL, p=0.01). Peak oxygen uptake during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing was decreased in BPD subjects (91±18% versus 106±17% of predicted, p=0.01). In BPD subjects, cardiac stroke volume change with exercise was impaired compared to at term-born subjects (11±13% versus 25±10%; p<0.001). With exercise, left ventricular end-diastolic volume decreased more in preterm-born subjects with versus without BPD (-10±8% versus -3±8%; p=0.01) and compared to at term-born subjects (0±5%; p<0.001). Exploratory data analysis revealed that exercise stroke volume and end-diastolic volume change were inversely correlated with oxygen dependency in those born prematurely. Conclusions In preterm-born young adults, particularly those with BPD, resting cardiac function, exercise performance and cardiac response to exercise is impaired compared to controls. Exercise cardiovascular magnetic resonance may reveal an important predisposition for heart disease later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarno J. Steenhorst
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem A. Helbing
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter J. van Genuchten
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel J. Bowen
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemien van den Bosch
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nikki van der Velde
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lieke S. Kamphuis
- Department of Pulmonology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daphne Merkus
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Walter-Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, LMU Munich, University Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Irwin K.M. Reiss
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Hirsch
- Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Gostelow T, Stöhr EJ. The Effect of Preterm Birth on Maximal Aerobic Exercise Capacity and Lung Function in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med 2022; 52:2627-2635. [PMID: 35759177 PMCID: PMC9584843 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-022-01710-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A negative impact of premature birth on health in adulthood is well established. However, it is not clear whether healthy adults who were born prematurely but have similar physical activity levels compared to adults born at term have a reduced maximal aerobic exercise capacity (maximum oxygen consumption [VO2max]). OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine the effect of premature birth on aerobic exercise capacity and lung function in otherwise healthy, physically active individuals. METHODS A broad literature search was conducted in the PubMed database. Search terms included 'preterm/premature birth' and 'aerobic exercise capacity'. Maximal oxygen consumption (mL/kg/min) was the main variable required for inclusion, and amongst those investigations forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1, % predicted) was evaluated as a secondary parameter. For the systematic review, 29 eligible articles were identified. Importantly, for the meta-analysis, only studies which reported similar activity levels between healthy controls and the preterm group/s were included, resulting in 11 articles for the VO2max analysis (total n = 688, n = 333 preterm and n = 355 controls) and six articles for the FEV1 analysis (total n = 296, n = 147 preterm and n = 149 controls). Data were analysed using Review Manager ( Review Manager. RevMan version 5.4 software. The Cochrane Collaboration; 2020.). RESULTS The systematic review highlighted the broad biological impact of premature birth. While the current literature tends to suggest that there may be a negative impact of premature birth on both VO2max and FEV1, several studies did not control for the potential influence of differing physical activity levels between study groups, thus justifying a focused meta-analysis of selected studies. Our meta-analysis strongly suggests that prematurely born humans who are otherwise healthy do have a reduced VO2max (mean difference: - 4.40 [95% confidence interval - 6.02, - 2.78] mL/kg/min, p < 0.00001, test for overall effect: Z = 5.32) and FEV1 (mean difference - 9.22 [95% confidence interval - 13.54, - 4.89] % predicted, p < 0.0001, test for overall effect: Z = 4.18) independent of physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS Whilst the current literature contains mixed findings on the effects of premature birth on VO2max and FEV1, our focused meta-analysis suggests that even when physical activity levels are similar, there is a clear reduction in VO2max and FEV1 in adults born prematurely. Therefore, future studies should carefully investigate the underlying determinants of the reduced VO2max and FEV1 in humans born preterm, and develop strategies to improve their maximal aerobic capacity and lung function beyond physical activity interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Gostelow
- School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Eric J Stöhr
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- COR-HELIX (CardiOvascular Regulation and Exercise Laboratory-Integration and Xploration), Institute of Sport Science, Leibniz University Hannover, Am Moritzwinkel 6, Building 1806, 30167, Hannover, Germany.
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Steenhorst JJ, Hirsch A, Verzijl A, Wielopolski P, de Wijs‐Meijler D, Duncker DJ, Reiss IKM, Merkus D. Exercise and hypoxia unmask pulmonary vascular disease and right ventricular dysfunction in a 10- to 12-week-old swine model of neonatal oxidative injury. J Physiol 2022; 600:3931-3950. [PMID: 35862359 PMCID: PMC9542957 DOI: 10.1113/jp282906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Prematurely born young adults who experienced neonatal oxidative injury (NOI) of the lungs have increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. Here, we investigated the long-term effects of NOI on cardiopulmonary function in piglets at the age of 10-12 weeks. To induce NOI, term-born piglets (1.81 ± 0.06 kg) were exposed to hypoxia (10-12%F iO 2 ${F}_{{\rm{iO}}_{\rm{2}}}$ ), within 2 days after birth, and maintained for 4 weeks or until symptoms of heart failure developed (range 16-28 days), while SHAM piglets were normoxia raised. Following recovery (>5 weeks), NOI piglets were surgically instrumented to measure haemodynamics during hypoxic challenge testing (HCT) and exercise with modulation of the nitric-oxide system. During exercise, NOI piglets showed a normal increase in cardiac index, but an exaggerated increase in pulmonary artery pressure and a blunted increase in left atrial pressure - suggesting left atrial under-filling - consistent with an elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), which correlated with the duration of hypoxia exposure. Moreover, hypoxia duration correlated inversely with stroke volume (SV) during exercise. Nitric oxide synthase inhibition and HCT resulted in an exaggerated increase in PVR, while the PVR reduction by phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition was enhanced in NOI compared to SHAM piglets. Finally, within the NOI piglet group, prolonged duration of hypoxia was associated with a better maintenance of SV during HCT, likely due to the increase in RV mass. In conclusion, duration of neonatal hypoxia appears an important determinant of alterations in cardiopulmonary function that persist further into life. These changes encompass both pulmonary vascular and cardiac responses to hypoxia and exercise. KEY POINTS: Children who suffered from neonatal oxidative injury, such as very preterm born infants, have increased risk of cardiopulmonary disease later in life. Risk stratification requires knowledge of the mechanistic underpinning and the time course of progression into cardiopulmonary disease. Exercise and hypoxic challenge testing showed that 10- to 12-week-old swine that previously experienced neonatal oxidative injury had increased pulmonary vascular resistance and nitric oxide dependency. Duration of neonatal oxidative injury was a determinant of structural and functional cardiopulmonary remodelling later in life. Remodelling of the right ventricle, as a result of prolonged neonatal oxidative injury, resulted in worse performance during exercise, but enabled better performance during the hypoxic challenge test. Increased nitric oxide dependency together with age- or comorbidity-related endothelial dysfunction may contribute to predisposition to pulmonary hypertension later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarno J. Steenhorst
- Division of Experimental CardiologyDepartment of CardiologyErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear MedicineErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Alexander Hirsch
- Division of Experimental CardiologyDepartment of CardiologyErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear MedicineErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Verzijl
- Division of Experimental CardiologyDepartment of CardiologyErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Piotr Wielopolski
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear MedicineErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Daphne de Wijs‐Meijler
- Division of Experimental CardiologyDepartment of CardiologyErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Dirk J. Duncker
- Division of Experimental CardiologyDepartment of CardiologyErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Irwin K. M. Reiss
- Division of NeonatologyDepartment of PediatricsErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Daphne Merkus
- Division of Experimental CardiologyDepartment of CardiologyErasmus MCUniversity Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamthe Netherlands
- Institute for Surgical ResearchWalter Brendel Center of Experimental Medicine (WBex)University Clinic MunichLMU MunichMunichGermany
- German Center for Cardiovascular ResearchPartner Site MunichMunich Heart AllianceMunichGermany
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