Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) usually have reduced aerobic exercise capacity compared with controls. However, their skeletal muscle function is less studied.
In this cross-sectional study, unilateral isotonic shoulder flexion, unilateral isotonic heel-lift, maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) were tested in 85 patients with ACHD (35 women, mean age 36.8?±?14.8 years), classed as either 'complex' (n?=?43) or 'simple' (n?=?42), and 42 age and gender matched controls (16 women, mean age 36.9?±?14.9). Maximum number of shoulder flexions and heel-lifts were measured. MIP/MEP was tested using a handheld respiratory pressure meter. Exercise self-efficacy, measuring confidence in performing exercise training, was evaluated.
Adults with complex lesions performed fewer shoulder flexions compared with controls and patients with simple lesions (28.2?±?11.1 vs. 63.6?±?40.4, p?