Effect of Aerobic Capacity on Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between aerobic capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men with cerebral palsy (CP) by measuring aerobic capacity and using the Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaire. The subjects were ambulant men with CP (N = 34), with a mean age, height, weight, and body mass index of 36.6 ± 9.2 years, 163.9 ± 8.9 cm, 58.6 ± 9.1 kg, and 21.6 ± 2.9 kg·m-2, respectively. Aerobic capacity was measured during a graded exercise test and shuttle run test. Quality of life was evaluated using the Health-Related Quality of Life (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 [SF-36]). The analysis performed using the physical scale of HRQOL as the dependent variable revealed that the contribution rate of physical functioning was 46.3%, role physical was 21.8%, bodily pain was 7.5%, general health was 27.3%, and physical component summary was 36.1%; the aerobic capacity differed significantly in terms of physical functioning, role physical, general health, and physical component summary (p < .05). Peak oxygen uptake was a particularly significant explanatory variable for role physical, and role physical (p < .05). However, the analysis performed using the mental scale of HRQOL as the dependent variable revealed that the contribution rate of vitality was 13.0%, social functioning was 17.3%, role emotional was 14.9%, mental health was 8.1%, and mental component summary was 15.3%; the aerobic capacity showed no significant difference. The aerobic capacity representing the athletic performance level of men with CP positively affected physical health satisfaction but not mental health satisfaction.