BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the differential effects of constant-load (CL-AE) and graded (G-AE) aerobic exercise training approaches on cardiopulmonary fitness and functional capacity in obese children with bronchial asthma (BA). METHODS: Seventy-eight obese children with moderate BA (age 14.14 +/- 2.31 years; body mass index: 31.93 +/- 1.26 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to 3 intervention-based groups: control, CL-AE, or G-AE group (n = 26 in a group). The cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen uptake, minute ventilation (VE), ventilation-oxygen uptake ratio, stroke volume of oxygen, oxygen/carbon-dioxide exchange ratio, heart rate maximum, and heart rate recovery at one minute) and functional capacity (6-minute walk test and perceived dyspnea and fatigue) were assessed at the baseline and posttreatment. RESULTS: The G-AE group exhibited more favorable changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak (p = 0.03), VE (p = 0.021), VE/VO2 (p = 0.032), SVO2 (p = 0.025), O2/CO2 ratio (p = 0.004), HRmax (p = 0.016), HRR1 (p = 0.046)) and functional capacity (6-minute walk test (p = 0.021), dyspnea (p = 0.041), fatigue (p = 0.04)) as compared to the CL-AE group. CONCLUSION: The G-AE, compared to CL-AE, appears to be a more potent stimulus for enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness and functional capacity in obese children with BA. Further investigations are, however, required to corroborate the observed effects.

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