Role of exercise in the evaluation and management of pulmonary disease in children and youth.

Asthma is the most common chronic pulmonary disorder affecting children in the U.S. Cystic fibrosis is the most common life-shortening inherited disease affecting white populations. With both disorders, children may have impaired exercise tolerance and abnormal cardiopulmonary responses to exercise. Exercise testing can aid in the diagnosis of exercise-induced asthma, and in determining prognosis in cystic fibrosis. Children with asthma and cystic fibrosis have been shown to benefit from exercise training, mainly through improved aerobic fitness and cardiopulmonary efficiency. In summary, exercise plays a valuable role in the evaluation and management of children with asthma and cystic fibrosis.