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Active video game reduces lung inflammation in children with asthma
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Aerobic training with an active video game demonstrated a positive impact on children with moderate to severe asthma, according to study results.
Active video game training appeared to improve clinical control and exercise capacity — as well as decrease pulmonary inflammation — in the children who participated, according to study results.
Dirceu Costa
“Asthmatic children need [to participate in] physical activity, but dyspnea has been a limiting factor,” Dirceu Costa, PhD, from the postgraduate program in rehabilitation sciences at Nove de Julho University in Brazil, told Healio.com/Allergy. “In addition, not all children like to perform physical exercises as a form of treatment.”
Costa and colleagues conducted a single blind, randomized controlled clinical trial over an 8 week period to determine if exercise that used an active video game system improved asthma control, airway inflammation and exercise capacity in children with the disease.
The analysis included 26 children who either participated in active video game training (n = 13) or treadmill training (n = 13).
Children who participated in the video game group began with a 5 minute warmup on a treadmill at 2 km/hour prior to each session. The children then played a video game from Kinect Adventure (XBOX 360 Kinect) for 30 minutes followed by a 5-minute cool down period on the treadmill. The video game required children to move laterally, jump, squat and move their arms.
The remaining children who participated in treadmill training used the same warmup and cool down period as did the group who participated in the video game training. However instead of playing an active video game, the children exercised for 30 minutes starting at 70% of the maximum effort determined during maximum exercise testing.
During the study, researchers collected information on the children’s asthma control, exhaled nitric oxide levels (FeNO) and lung function.
Both groups had a significant improvement in asthma control — measured by the Asthma Control Questionnaire — after they completed the training (P < .05). But, only the children who used the video game training had a reduction in FeNO as well as a significantly higher maximum metabolic expenditure (P < .05 for both).
Active video games could be the answer to reducing sedentary behavior in children with asthma, according to the researchers.
“When it comes to recreational physical activities — such as video games — [children] have more interest and do not care if that activity will cause dyspnea or respiratory distress,” Costa told Healio.com/Allergy. “Physical activity — with the aid of video games — has been a great alternative to the conservative treatment of asthmatic [children]. We were able to see the improvement of the clinical picture of the disease, and also a significant reduction of eosinophilic inflammation, measured by FeNO.” – by Ryan McDonald
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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Christopher Randolph, MD, FAAAAI
I think this is an interesting and provocative study that should be shared with allergists and other asthma specialists. It supports what we already know: that aerobic exercise improves asthma control and airway inflammation.
The data are good. Pre-training and post-training evaluations are exactly as expected from any carefully constructed exercise program featuring equivalent energy expenditure and subject compliance. The exhaled nitric oxide levels are compelling and in line with other studies that support aerobic activities in overall asthma management plans.
There may be a difference in the outcomes for each patient group because individuals who were playing video games may have had better focus or higher levels of concentration than the control group. It is an interesting approach, especially for a normally sedentary patient population, and should be explored further.Click Here to Manage Email Alerts