Exercise Intolerance in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy

Purpose Determine 1) if adults with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) exhibit exercise intolerance and 2) potential contributing mechanisms to exercise intolerance, specific to FSHD. Methods Eleven people with FSHD (47 ± 13 yr, 4 females) and 11 controls (46 ± 13 yr, 4 females) completed one visit, which included a volitional peak oxygen consumption (V̇O2peak) cycling test. Breath-by-breath gas exchange, ventilation, and cardiovascular responses were measured at rest and during exercise. The test featured 3-min stages (speed, 65–70 rpm) with incremental increases in intensity (FSHD: 20 W per stage; control: 40–60 W per stage). Body lean mass (LM (kg, %)) was collected via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results V̇O2peak was 32% lower (24.5 ± 9.7 vs 36.2 ± 9.3 mL·kg−1·min−1, P
Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: CLINICAL SCIENCES Source Type: research