Physical Activity Is Associated With Better Vascular Function in Children and Adolescents With Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Background: Aortic stiffness is an important marker of cardiovascular risk and is elevated in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD) compared with healthy children; however, in children with CHD, little is known about the interaction between aortic stiffness and physical activity-a key determinant of aortic stiffness.

Methods: For this cross-sectional cohort study, we recruited children and adolescents aged 9-16 years with moderate-to-complex CHD from British Columbia Children's Hospital and travelling partnership clinics across the province of British Columbia and the Yukon territory. Mean daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were objectively assessed using an ActiGraph accelerometer worn over the right hip during waking hours for 7 days. Aortic pulse wave velocity (cm/s) was measured using standard 2-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler ultrasound.

Results: Participants (n = 104, 61% male; 85% consent rate) had a mean (standard deviation) age of 12.4 (2.4) years. Daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was 46.7 (20.0) minutes/d, with 25% meeting guidelines of ≥ 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. Mean (standard deviation) aortic pulse wave velocity was 490.5 (161.9) cm/s, which was not significantly different between cardiac diagnoses. Higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with lower aortic pulse wave velocity (r = -0.226, P = 0.021).

Conclusion: In children and adolescents with CHD, higher levels of physical activity are associated with better vascular function. Given this association, promoting physical activity should be a high priority in the care of children and adolescents with CHD.