Exercise Program for Children with Cystic Fibrosis or Sickle Cell Disease

At a Glance

Age: 10 – 17
Sex: Any
Study type: Interventional
Purpose: Basic Science
Participants needed: 240 (estimated)
Sponsor: University of California, Irvine · Other

Who this trial is looking for

This trial is looking for children aged 10-17 with sickle cell disease or cystic fibrosis to participate in an exercise program. Participants will help researchers understand how exercise affects their health.

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

You may be able to join if

I am aged 10-17
I have sickle cell disease or cystic fibrosis
I am generally healthy with no complications from my condition
I have a BMI in the average range for my age and condition
I have permission from my doctor to exercise

You may not be able to join if

I require regular blood transfusions
I have a disease or condition that limits my ability to exercise
I have been treated for substance or alcohol abuse
I have a lung function below 40% predicted
I currently have a serious lung infection

Summarized in plain language from this trial's official eligibility criteria. The full criteria are further down this page — only the research team can confirm whether you qualify.

About This Trial

This study is a cooperative investigation funded by the NIH. The project is a collaboration among three major NIH Clinical Translational Science Awardees: 1) UCI (lead site with its affiliate CHOC), 2) Northwestern University (with its affiliate Lurie Children's Hospital), and 3) USC (with its affiliate Children's Hospital of Los Angeles). There is an increasing number of children who, through me…

This study is a cooperative investigation funded by the NIH. The project is a collaboration among three major NIH Clinical Translational Science Awardees: 1) UCI (lead site with its affiliate CHOC), 2) Northwestern University (with its affiliate Lurie Children's Hospital), and 3) USC (with its affiliate Children's Hospital of Los Angeles). There is an increasing number of children who, through medical advances, now survive diseases and conditions that were once fatal, but which remain chronic and debilitating. A major challenge to improve both the immediate and long term care and health of such children has been the gap in our understanding of how to assess the biological effects of exercise. Like otherwise healthy children, children with chronic diseases and disabilities want to be physically active. The challenge is to determine what constitutes safe and beneficial level of physical activity when the underlying disease or condition \[e.g., cystic fibrosis (CF) or sickle cell disease (SCD)\] imposes physiological constraints on exercise that are not present in otherwise healthy children. Current exercise testing protocols were based on studies of athletes and high performing healthy individuals and were designed to test limits of performance at very high-intensity, unphysiological, maximal effort. These approaches are not optimal for children and adolescents with disease and disability. This project (REACH-Revamping Exercise Assessment in Child Health) is designed to address this gap. Cohorts of children will be identified with two major genetic diseases (CF and SCD) and measure exercise responses annually as they progress from early puberty to mid or late puberty over a 3-4year period. In addition, in the light of the pandemic, a group of children will be added who were affected by SARS-CoV-2 and investigate their responses to exercise. SARS-CoV-2 has similar long-term symptoms than CF and SCD have. Novel approaches to assessing physiological responses to exercise using advanced data analytics will be examined in relation to metrics of habitual physical activity, circulating biomarkers of inflammation and growth, leukocyte gene expression, and the impact of the underlying CF, SCD or SARS-CoV-2 condition. The data from this study will help to develop a toolkit of innovative metrics for exercise testing that will be made available to the research and clinical community.

Trial Locations

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Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: Sickle Cell Disease * Tanner 1-5, corresponding approximately to ages 10-17 y/o * SCD diagnosis including all relevant genotypes * Determined to be in relatively good health as a patient with SCD with no complications from SCD that would render participation the study unadvisab…

Inclusion Criteria: Sickle Cell Disease * Tanner 1-5, corresponding approximately to ages 10-17 y/o * SCD diagnosis including all relevant genotypes * Determined to be in relatively good health as a patient with SCD with no complications from SCD that would render participation the study unadvisable * No evidence of other disease or disability that would impair participation in PA * Physician permission to perform CPET * BMI within the average range for age and condition Cystic Fibrosis * Confirmed diagnosis of CF based on either two CF-causing mutations and/or a sweat chloride concentration of \> 60 mmol/l after a positive newborn screening test or on two separate occasions * Tanner 1-5 corresponding approximately to ages 10-17 y/o as documented by a licensed independent provider at screening, or by a validated self-assessment tool * Determined to be in relatively good health as a patient with CF with no complications from CF that would render participation the study unadvisable as determined by a physician. Examples include history of submassive or massive hemoptysis or moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension. * BMI in the average range for age and condition * No evidence of other disease or disability that would impair participation in PA Comparison (Healthy control) * Tanner 1-5 corresponding approximately to ages 10-17 y/o * Determined to be in good health by pre-participation history and physical examination performed by primary care providers or PERC staff * BMI and PA participation (by history) in the average range for age * No evidence of disease or disability that would impair participation in PA Comparison (SARS-CoV-2) * Tanner 1-5 corresponding approximately to ages 10-17 y/o * Documented SARS-CoV-2 infection * Capable of doing exercise as determined by primary care providers or PERC a medical officer Exclusion Criteria: Sickle Cell Disease Treatment for substance or alcohol abuse * Requiring chronic monthly transfusions * Other conditions that preclude exercise such as neuromotor disease, heart disease, or any other condition that would prevent a child from participating in PA Cystic Fibrosis Treatment for substance or alcohol abuse * Other conditions that preclude exercise (such as neuromotor disease, heart disease, or any other condition that would prevent a child from participating in PA) * FEV1 \< 40% predicted based on Global Lung Index equations * Current infection with Burkholderia cenocepacia or Mycobacterium abscessus Comparison (Healthy control) Treatment for substance or alcohol abuse or chronic medication use • Determination by PERC staff of unsuitability for exercise Comparison (SARS-CoV-2) Treatment for substance or alcohol abuse or chronic medication use • Determination by PERC staff of unsuitability for exercise

Contacts

Peter Horvath, Ph.D.

(714) 456-8248

phorvath@hs.uci.edu

CONTACT

Exercise Program for Children with Cystic Fibrosis or Sickle Cell Disease

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