Reabilitação Cardiopulmonar em Crianças com Asma: Estudo Preliminar

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower respiratory tract that impairs lung function and can lead to systemic effects such as physical deconditioning, muscle weakness, and reduced exercise tolerance. Objective: To assess the effects of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in asthmatic children. Methods: A clinical experimental study was conducted with six children, aged five to six years, diagnosed with bronchial asthma. They underwent a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation protocol, performed twice a week for eight weeks. Results: Data analysis was performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, with pre- and post-intervention comparisons made through paired t-tests and the Wilcoxon test.There was a significant decrease in perceived effort (p = 0.038) and an increase in right upper limb strength (p = 0.045), but physiological variables such as heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) remained stable (p > 0.05). No significant differences were observed in skinfold measurements (p > 0.05). Spirometric parameters, such as Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1), and the FEV1/FVC ratio, did not show significant changes (p > 0.05), nor did Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF25-75). Conclusions: Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation can improve muscle strength and exercise perception in asthmatic children, without significant changes in lung function or body composition. Further research is needed to evaluate long-term effects and to include a larger sample size.