AUTHOR=Zang Wanli , Fang Mingqing , Chen Haohao , Huang Xinmeng , Li Dong , Yan Jin , Shu Heng , Zhao Mingyuan 

TITLE=Effect of concurrent training on physical performance and quality of life in children with malignancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1127255

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1127255

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>This study aims to evaluate the intervention effect of concurrent training on children with malignant tumors to provide evidence for prescribing exercise for children with malignant tumors.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Twelve databases were searched from inception to October 15, 2022. Two researchers independently screened the literature, evaluated the quality, extracted the data, and performed the meta-analysis using R.</p></sec><sec><title>Result</title><p>A total of nine randomized controlled trials involving 371 children were included in this study. The meta-analysis revealed that muscle strength was significantly greater in the exercise group compared to the usual care group [SMD = 0.26, 95% CI (0.04, 0.48), <italic>P</italic> = 0.023], with subgroup analysis showing no significant difference in upper limb [SMD = 0.13, 95% CI (−0.17, 0.43), <italic>P</italic> = 0.318] and a considerable difference in lower limb strength [SMD = 0.41, 95% CI (0.08, 0.74), <italic>P</italic> = 0.015]. Physical activity [SMD = 0.57, 95% CI (0.03, 1.1), <italic>P</italic> = 0.038], timed up and down stairs test [SMD = −1.22, 95% CI (−2.04, −0.4), <italic>P</italic> = 0.004], 6-min walking ability [SMD = 0.75, 95% CI (0.38, 1.11), <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01], quality of life [SMD = 0.28, 95% CI (0.02, 0.53), <italic>P</italic> = 0.033], and cancer-related fatigue [SMD = −0.53, 95% CI (−0.86, −0.19), <italic>P</italic> = 0.002] were significantly better than the usual care group. There were no significant differences in peak oxygen uptake [SMD = 0.13, 95% CI (−0.18, 0.44), <italic>P</italic> = 0.397], depression [SMD = 0.06, 95% CI (−0.38, 0.5), <italic>P</italic> = 0.791], and withdrawal rates [RR = 0.59, 95% CI (0.21, 1.63), <italic>P</italic> = 0.308] between the two groups.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Concurrent training could improve physical performance for children with malignancy but had no significant effect on mental health. Because the quality level of evidence is mostly very low, future high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.</p></sec><sec><title>Systematic review registration</title><p><ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=364140" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=364140</ext-link>, identifier CRD42022308176.</p></sec>