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Physical activity and maximal oxygen uptake in adults with Prader–Willi syndrome

Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity volume 23, pages 615–620 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Prader–Willi Syndrome (PWS) is the most common genetic syndrome causing life-threatening obesity. Strict adherence to a low-calorie diet and regular physical activity are needed to prevent weight gain. Direct measurement of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), the “gold standard” for assessing aerobic exercise capacity, has not been previously described in PWS.

Objectives

Assess aerobic capacity by direct measurement of VO2 max in adults with PWS, and in age and BMI-matched controls (OC), and compare the results with values obtained by indirect prediction methods.

Methods and patients

Seventeen individuals (12 males) age: 19–35 (28.6 ± 4.9) years, BMI: 19.4–38.1 (27.8 ± 5) kg/m2 with genetically confirmed PWS who exercise daily, and 32 matched OC (22 males) age: 19–36 (29.3 ± 5.2) years, BMI: 21.1–48.1 (26.3 ± 4.9) kg/m2. All completed a medical questionnaire and performed strength and flexibility tests. VO2 max was determined by measuring oxygen consumption during a graded exercise test on a treadmill.

Results

VO2 max (24.6 ± 3.4 vs 46.5 ± 12.2 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001) and ventilatory threshold (20 ± 2 and 36.2 ± 10.5 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001), maximal strength of both hands (36 ± 4 vs 91.4 ± 21.2 kg, p < 0.001), and flexibility (15.2 ± 9.5 vs 26 ± 11.1 cm, p = 0.001) were all significantly lower for PWS compared to OC. Predicted estimates and direct measurements of VO2 max were almost identical for the OC group (p = 0.995), for the PWS group, both methods for estimating VO2 max gave values which were significantly greater (p < 0.001) than results obtained by direct measurements.

Conclusions

Aerobic capacity, assessed by direct measurement of VO2 max, is significantly lower in PWS adults, even in those who exercise daily, compared to OCs. Indirect estimates of VO2 max are accurate for OC, but unreliable in PWS. Direct measurement of VO2 should be used for designing personal training programs and in clinical studies of exercise in PWS.

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Fig. 1

Abbreviations

PWS:

Prader–Willi syndrome

VO2 max:

Maximal oxygen uptake

OC:

Overweight controls

BMI:

Body mass index

GH:

Growth hormone

CPET:

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Nava Badichi for administrative assistance in coordinating this study and to the precipitants and their families.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Kiryat Hadassah, POB 12000, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel

    Itai Gross

  2. Israel Multidisciplinary PraderWilli Syndrome Clinic, Neuropediatric Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    Harry J. Hirsch, Larry Genstil, Talia Eldar-Geva & Varda Gross Tsur

  3. Neuropediatric Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    Harry J. Hirsch, Larry Genstil & Varda Gross Tsur

  4. Sports Medicine Center, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    Naama Constantini & Shachar Nice

  5. The School of Education, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    Yehuda Pollak

  6. The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel

    Talia Eldar-Geva & Varda Gross Tsur

  7. Reproductive Endocrinology and Genetics Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    Talia Eldar-Geva

Authors
  1. Itai Gross
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  2. Harry J. Hirsch
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  3. Naama Constantini
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  4. Shachar Nice
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  7. Talia Eldar-Geva
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  8. Varda Gross Tsur
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Itai Gross.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Additional informed consent was obtained from all individual participants for whom identifying information is included in this article.

Financial disclosure

All authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

Additional information

I. Gross and H. J. Hirsch contributed equally to this work.

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Gross, I., Hirsch, H.J., Constantini, N. et al. Physical activity and maximal oxygen uptake in adults with Prader–Willi syndrome. Eat Weight Disord 23, 615–620 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-016-0356-7

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Keywords

  • Prader–Willi syndrome
  • VO2 max
  • Aerobic exercise capacity