Table 3. Parameters associated with the functional exercise capacity among the studied groups.
| Control (n = 23) | Sickle Cell Anemia NE (n = 21) | Sickle Cell Anemia AE (n = 24) | NE-AE p | ANOVA p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-6MWT heart rate (beats/min) | 81.2±10.7 | 78.9±11.7 | 83.6±12.5 | ns | ns |
| Post-6MWT heart rate (beats/min) | 102.1±16.6 | 93.6±15.9 | 95.8±16.4** | ns | 0.005 |
| Pre-6MWT respiratory rate (breaths/min) | 16.8±3.1 | 19.2±2.9* | 20.8±4.8*** | ns | 0.005 |
| Post-6MWT respiratory rate (breaths/min) | 20.5±3.3 | 22.5±3.0 | 25.0±6.2** | ns | 0.005 |
| Pre-6MWT systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 113.9±13.5 | 124.8±15.5* | 115.7±13.0 | ns | 0.05 |
| Post-6MWT systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 121.2±11.7 | 140.2±15.6**** | 126.2±13.5 | 0.01 | 0.0001 |
| Pre-6MWT diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 77.1±11.5 | 82.0±13.9** | 70.3±12.0 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Post-6MWT diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 84.9±10.3 | 87.0±10.5 | 74.5±14.2* | 0.005 | 0.001 |
| SpO2 (%) Pre-6MWT |
97.7±1. 5 | 96.0±2.5** | 93.8±3.1**** | 0.05 | 0.0001 |
| SpO2 (%) Post-6MWT |
97.8±1.2 | 95.5±3.2** | 93.2±3.8**** | 0.05 | 0.0001 |
Data are means±SD. Sickle Cell Anemia NE = Patients with normal spirometric exams; Sickle Cell Anemia AE = Patients with altered spirometric exams; 6MWD: Six-minute walk distance; (%): predicted percentage. CF: Cardiac frequency. RR: Respiratory rate. SBP: Systolic blood pressure. DBP: Diastolic blood pressure. SpO2: Peripheral oxygen saturation. ns = not significant (p >0.05)
*p<0.05 related to control group
**p<0.01 related to control group
***p<0.001 related to control group
****p<0.0001 related to control group.