Effects of physical exercise programs in patients with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

AIMS: Exercise programs are part of the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis, but there are few controlled trials on the effects of physical activity in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate, through a literature review, the effects of regular exercise programs as part of the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis. SOURCE OF DATA: The survey was conducted in Medline/PubMed, Lilacs and SciELO databases, selecting controlled trials published between 2002 to 2012, in English or Portuguese, using the following terms: cystic fibrosis/fibrose cística, exercise/exercício e physical activity/atividade física. Seven studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in this review. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS: Most of the selected studies evaluated the effect of aerobic exercise; three associated exercise with muscular strength training, and one study compared aerobic training with strength training for the upper limbs. Of the seven articles, five (71.4%) recommended a frequency of three times a week and three (42.8%) recommended a time of 30 minutes of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the analysis showed that the practice of aerobic exercise and muscle strength training decrease the progressive decline in lung function, increase exercise endurance and improve self-esteem and quality of life of patients with cystic fibrosis.