Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity appears to be an alarmingly growing global threat. Current evidence has shown that obesity can be successfully managed with interventions targeting movement skills, motor coordination and physical activity. However, data concerning physiotherapy practice are limited. We aimed to assess the impact of therapeutic exercise on the 6-minute walk test (6-MWT) in obese children and adolescents. Methods: A total of 31 obese children and adolescents (BMI > 30 kg/m²), 18 males and 13 females, aged from 8 to 18 years, were enrolled. Two study groups were formed: the control group (Group A), comprising ten children; and the intervention group (Group B), comprising 21 children. Daily exercise habits were obtained via interview; anthropometric data (weight, height and BMI) were recorded; and 6-MWT parameters, blood pressure and oxygen saturation (SaO₂) were assessed before and after a 4-month intervention program consisting of breathing and aerobic exercises. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in 6-minute walk distance (+43.34, p < 0.001) and an improvement in body weight (p < 0.01), blood pressure (p < 0.01) and oxygen saturation (p < 0.03) in Group B after the 4-month training program. Conclusions: All results highlight the potential of physical exercise in clinical practice to improve functional status and achieve weight loss. Future randomized controlled trials, including individualized therapeutic exercise programs in larger samples of obese children, are much anticipated.

Background/Objectives: Home spirometry allows people with cystic fibrosis (CF) to monitor their lung function from home. However, there are concerns about its feasibility and validity compared to traditional clinic spirometry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and validity of telehealth spirometry for patients with CF living in a regional setting. Methods: This retrospective study included forty-eight people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) aged 6–33 years. Participants performed home spirometry using a portable flow sensor spirometer over a one-year period, without supervision. Spirometry readings from portable spirometers were compared with the nearest in-clinic spirometry using the intra-correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman plots. Data were collected over a period of one year, with regular intervals of measurements. Results: In 427 of the 877 (48.6%) attempted sessions, successful spirometry at home was recorded. Although we showed good reliability between at-home and in-clinic measurements using the Bland–Altman plots and intraclass correlation co-efficient (ICC) (values ranged from 0.76 to 0.88), analysis of the 117 pairs of at-home and in-clinic spirometries showed that mean differences of forced expiratory volume in the 1st sec (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) obtained at home (both in liter and z-score) had, on average, lower values than the corresponding values at the clinic. Conclusions: Home-based telehealth spirometry is feasible among pwCF and provides advantages, especially for those from remote or secluded areas. However, lower values in FVC and FEV1 obtained through home spirometry should not be used interchangeably with clinic values.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between pulse rate variability (PRV) and polysomnography parameters among overweight children and adolescents. Methods: Overweight children and adolescents with snoring underwent overnight polysomnography. The PRV time series was obtained from peak-to-peak time intervals of the pulse waveforms recorded by the oximeter and used as a proxy of RR intervals. Nonlinear, time, and frequency domain analysis of PRV was performed. The percentage of successive RR intervals over 50 ms (pNN50) and the mean square root of the sum of differences between RRs (RMSSD), which reflect the vagal activity, were assessed. PRV indices correlations with Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), Oxygen Desaturation ≥3% Index (ODI3), and BMI z score were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Results: Fourteen overweight children and adolescents aged 8-15 (mean age 11.9 years, 50% female) were evaluated. The mean BMI was 34.4 (SD 7.85) kg/m2, the mean z score was 2.39 (SD 0.38), and the mean HR during the sleep study was 78.4/min (SD 12.5). Mean AHI and ODI3 were 4.22/hr (±3.27) and 6.9/hr (±6.37), respectively; the majority of subjects (11/14) had obstructive sleep apnea (AHI ≥1/h. Time domain analysis showed a median value of pNN50 0.30 % and a mean value of RMSSD 18.14 ms (SD 4.26). A significant negative correlation was found between the AHI index and the pNN50 (r= -0.652, p=0.012). Conclusion: The preliminary results of our study showed a negative correlation between the severity of sleep apnoea, as indicated by the number of apnoeas during sleep, and the vagal activity, which may indicate the presence of cardiac autonomic impairment among overweight children and adolescents with SDB.