The effectiveness of exercise interventions to increase physical activity in Cystic Fibrosis: A systematic review.

M Curran, A C Tierney, B Button, L Collins, L Kennedy, C McDonnell, B Casserly, R Cahalan

Journal: Journal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society 2022;21(2):272-281

PMID: 34753671

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Abstract

Physical activity (PA) and exercise have numerous benefits in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) including improved lung function, exercise capacity and quality of life. Despite these benefits, the effectiveness of interventions to promote PA in this population are still largely unknown. The objective of this review was to synthesise existing research and determine whether exercise interventions are effective in promoting PA in people with CF. Using the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted. Fifteen studies (463 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Eleven studies demonstrated improvements in PA in both short- and long-term interventions. However, the interventions were variable across the included studies, with a large inconsistency in PA assessment tools used. Aerobic training and activity counselling were the two elements identified in this review which most consistently improved PA. Future research should consider larger sample sizes and the use of accurate instruments to assess and track PA levels longitudinally.

Address: School of Allied Health, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. Electronic address: [email protected].; School of Allied Health, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Health Implementation Science and Technology Research Group, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.; Departments of Respiratory Medicine and Physiotherapy, The Alfred, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.; University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.; School of Allied Health, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; Physical Activity for Health Research Cluster, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.10.008