Ventilatory Responses During Submaximal Exercise in Children With Prader–Willi Syndrome
Purpose: Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic neurobehavioral disorder presenting hypothalamic dysfunction and adiposity. At rest, PWS exhibits hypoventilation with hypercapnia. We characterized ventilatory responses in children with PWS during exercise. Methods: Participants were children aged 7–12 years with PWS (n = 8) and without PWS with normal weight (NW; n = 9, body mass index ≤ 85th percentile) or obesity (n = 9, body mass index ≥ 95th percentile). Participants completed three 5-minute ambulatory bouts at 3.2, 4.0, and 4.8 km/h. Oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, ventilation, breathing frequency, and tidal volume were recorded. Results: PWS had slightly higher oxygen uptake (L/min) at 3.2 km/h [0.65 (0.46–1.01) vs 0.49 (0.34–0.83)] and at 4.8 km/h [0.89 (0.62–1.20) vs 0.63 (0.45–0.97)] than NW. PWS had higher ventilation (L/min) at 3.2 km/h [16.2 (13.0–26.5) vs 11.5 (8.4–17.5)], at 4.0 km/h [16.4 (13.9–27.9) vs 12.7 (10.3–19.5)], and at 4.8 km/h [19.7 (17.4–31.8) vs 15.2 (9.5–21.6)] than NW. PWS had greater breathing frequency (breaths/min) at 3.2 km/h [38 (29–53) vs 29 (22–35)], at 4.0 km/h [39 (29–58) vs 29 (23–39)], and at 4.8 km/h [39 (33–58) vs 32 (23–42)], but similar tidal volume and ventilation/carbon dioxide output to NW. Conclusion: PWS did not show impaired ventilatory responses to exercise. Hyperventilation in PWS may relate to excessive neural stimulation and metabolic cost.