Exercise testing can be used to precipitate exercise-induced symptoms. The vast majortiy of exercise tests are used to make a diagnosis of asthma or make an assessment of asthma severity, and can also be used to identify response to treatments. Exercise tests are coupled to spirometry and reversibility testing wherever possible.

Less commonly, exercise tests can be used to quantify exercise limitation in children with respiratory disease, and this can be useful in  informing parents and schools about appropriate limitations in school activities. Rarely, exercise testing is used to identify diffusion defects, particularly in children who are too young to perform gas dilution techniques in the  lung function laboratory.

Exercise tests in children over 8 years of age are generally performed in the lung function laboratory in Llandough Hospital. Children less than 8 years of age are tested in the physiotherapy department here at the Children’s Hospital.

Exercise tests are perfomred by Nicola Stonely. The protocol used for paediatric exercise testing can be found here