Physical performance decrements in children with sickle cell anemia

Abstract

Prior studies have suggested that cardiorespiratory dysfunction might contribute to the inability of children with sickle cell anemia to exercise competitively with normal children. This article presents a study designed to detect differences in performance of routine physical activities between groups of children having homozygous hemoglobin of sickle cell anemia (HbSS) and those with normal hemoglobin (HbAA). Thirty 10-year-old girls were divided into two equal groups exhibiting no significant differences in height, weight, or body surface area. Each subject performed 20-yd swimming, 40-yd swimming, and 100-yd "potato" foot-racing activities. Results showed significant performance decrements in HbSS compared with HbAA children. Performance decrements on the 20-yd swimming were found to be significantly greater than in either the 40-yd swimming or the 100-yd "potato" races. Assessment of 20-yd swim time as a fraction of 40-yd swim time showed diminished capacity of HbSS children for "burst activity." It is concluded that distance might play a role in the capacity of HbSS children to compete with HbAA children in racing activities such as those encountered in school-based physical education programs. Parents and educators should consider that short distance racing might exaggerate the inability of children with sickle cell anemia to compete with normal children.