Physical activity, health-related fitness, and physical performance in children with acquired hypothalamic dysfunction

  • I M A A Van Roessel*
  • , J Van Schaik
  • , L B Kleinlugtenbelt
  • , S N van Duijn
  • , M Burghard
  • , T Takken
  • , W J E Tissing
  • , W P Bekkering
  • , H M van Santen
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

PURPOSE: Survivors of a pediatric suprasellar tumor may suffer from hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction (HD), which may result in hypothalamic obesity (HO). The first step in HO treatment is lifestyle intervention (e.g. exercise). Our aim was to assess physical activity (PA), health-related fitness (HRF) and physical performance (PP) in a cohort of children with a suprasellar tumor.

METHODS: Retrospective study on a national cohort including all children with a suprasellar tumor who were referred to the physiotherapy department 2018-2022. Data was collected on: PA defined as minutes of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) and number of steps per day, HRF defined as body composition, VO2peak percentage of predicted, mean power, and muscle strength, and PP based on the 10-m walk and run test, time up and down the stairs, and time to rise from the floor.

RESULTS: Seventy-three children (mean age 11.09, mean body mass index SDS 2.36) were evaluated. In total, 24.1% reached the guideline of ≥ 60 min MVPA per day. The VO2peak percentage of predicted was 71.0% [IQR 57.0 - 82.8] and in 58.3% mean power was ≤ -2 SDS. Muscle strength was not decreased (median of -0.5 SDS). PP was found to be better than the norm. CONCLUSION AND KEY FINDINGS: PA and HRF are decreased in children with HD, however PP was not decreased. This implies that no PP restrictions are present to engage in PA and that a lifestyle coach can be involved to improve PA and HRF in these children.

Original languageEnglish
Article number295
Number of pages9
JournalSupportive Care in Cancer
Volume33
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18 Mar 2025

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Exercise/physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamic Diseases/physiopathology
  • Male
  • Muscle Strength/physiology
  • Physical Fitness/physiology
  • Physical Functional Performance
  • Pituitary Neoplasms/rehabilitation
  • Retrospective Studies

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