Responses to exercise in children with sickle cell trait
B. S. Alpert, N. L. Flood, W. B. Strong, J. R. Blair, J. B. Walpert and A. L. Levy
To determine whether responses to exercise in children with sickle cell
trait (AS) are different from those of normal children, we performed
dynamic cycle ergometer stress testing in 48 children with AS, aged 4 to 21
years. We compared these data with those obtained from 184 healthy black
children. No subject with AS demonstrated definite ischemia on the exercise
ECG, but four (8.3%) had equivocal ischemia. Population statistics derived
from Z score values showed that the subjects with AS had lower exercise
values for heart rate and work load than the controls. The BP response to
exercise was normal in subjects with AS. Since no ischemia or complications
occurred, exercise in subjects with AS appears to be safe. Further studies
are needed to define the mechanism for the impaired pulse rate and work
load variables.
