Physical Activity in Pediatric Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Measured by Accelerometry. A Candidate Clinical Endpoint

Rationale: The development of evidence-based treatment guidelines for pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is hampered by lack of pediatric clinical trials. Trial design is hampered by lack of a feasible clinical endpoint in this population.Objectives: To evaluate the use of accelerometry for measuring physical activity (PA) in pediatric PAH and to investigate its correlation with clinical disease severity markers.Methods: We included children from the Dutch National Network for Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension. Control patients were recruited from the outpatient cardiology clinic of the Beatrix Children’s Hospital. Children were asked to wear the accelerometer for 7 days. Vector magnitude counts per minute (VM CPM) and time per day spent in different PA intensity levels were defined as accelerometer outcomes.Measurements and Main Results: VM CPM was lower in children with PAH (n = 29) than in controls (n = 60; 647 vs. 921; P < 0.001). Children with PAH spent less time in moderate and vigorous ...