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Chronotropic Incompetence During Exercise in Obese Adolescents: Clinical Implications and Pathophysiology

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Obesity
Adolescent Obesity
Interventions
Other: the prevalence of chronotropic incompetence CI during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing, CPET
Registration Number
NCT03516721
Lead Sponsor
Hasselt University
Brief Summary

A reduction in peak heart rate (HR) and suppressed HR response during exercise is highly prevalent in obese populations. This phenomenon is also known as chronotropic incompetence (CI). In adult obese individuals, CI is independently related to elevated risk for major adverse cardiovascular events and premature death. Despite the established association between CI and prognosis in adult populations, the prognostic relevance of CI in adolescents with obesity has however deserved no attention, but is important. CI during exercise testing may indicate various, yet undetected anomalies, such as altered blood catecholamine and/or potassium concentrations during exercise, structural myocardial abnormalities or ventricular stiffness, impaired baroreflex sensitivity and cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction, atherosclerosis, or cardiac electrophysiological anomalies, which all have been detected in obese children and adolescents. However, whether CI during exercise testing may be a sensitive and specific indicator for these anomalies in obese adolescents has not been studied yet. In addition, the exact physiology behind obesity and development of heart disease remains to be studied in greater detail in obese adolescents. In this project, we examine the prevalence of CI (during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing, CPET) in 60 obese adolescents (aged 12-16 years) vs. 60 lean adolescents, and study the association between CI and changes in CPET parameters, lactate, catecholamine and potassium concentrations during CPET, biochemical variables, and cardiac electrophysiology (by ECG recording). In addition, the relation between CI and cardiac function (echocardiography) will be examined in a subgroup (29 lean and 29 obese) of these adolescents. In this regard, the diagnostic value of HR (responses) during maximal exercise testing will be clarified in obese adolescents, and the physiology behind the elevated risk for heart disease in obese adolescents can be explored.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
120
Inclusion Criteria
  • aged 12-16 years
  • obese or lean (based on extended international (IOTF) body mass index cut-offs for thinness, overweight and obesity)
  • Parental permission
Exclusion Criteria
  • Chronic cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary and orthopedic disease

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Obese adolescentsthe prevalence of chronotropic incompetence CI during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing, CPET-
Lean adolescentsthe prevalence of chronotropic incompetence CI during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing, CPET-
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Ventilatory functionday 1

Determined during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Heart rate (HR)day 1

Assessed using a 12-lead ECG device

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
cortisol and serum insulinday 1

blood analyses

PAQ-A (Physical Activity Questionaire for Adolescents)day1

physical activity determined using the validated Dutch physical activity questionnaire for adolescents

high-density lipoprotein cholesterolday 1

blood analyses

c-reactive proteineday 1

blood analyses

free thyroxineday 1

blood analyses

ironday 1

blood analyses

uric acidday 1

blood analyses

body compositionday 1
aspartate aminotransferaseday 1

blood analyses

alkaline phosphataseday 1

blood analyses

low-density lipoprotein cholesterolday 1

blood analyses

proteinsday 1

blood analyses

weightday 1
Plasma glucoseday 1

blood analyses

alanine aminotransferaseday 1

blood analyses

gamma-glutamyl transpeptidaseday 1

blood analyses

thyroid-stimulating hormoneday 1

blood analyses

leukocytesday 1

blood analyses

Echocardiographyday 1

Assessment left ventricular structure and systolic and diastolic function

heightday 1
Tanner scaleday 1

Puberty stage (ranging from 1 to 5) will be assessed in all participants by the pediatric endocrinologist using Tanner staging criteria.

Boys - development of external genitalia Girls - breast development Boys and girls - pubic hair

calciumday 1

blood analyses

blood total cholesterolday 1

blood analyses

triglyceride concentrationsday 1

blood analyses

serum leptin concentrationday 1

blood analyses

haematocritday 1

blood analyses

blood haemoglobinday 1

blood analyses

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Jessa Ziekenhuis

🇧🇪

Hasselt, Belgium

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