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Letters to the Editor
almost all organs. Physical exercise was, until recently, considered a risk for SCD patients. Indeed, 31% of vaso- occlusive crises and 32% of secondary acute chest syn- dromes occur subsequent to exertion.1 However, recent reports provided evidence that when well-calibrated, moderate-intensity endurance-exercise training in adults
with SCD without severe chronic complications seems safe, significantly improved functional capacity and is a potential novel therapeutic strategy.2,3 Although encour- aging, the previous pilot study suffered from several con- straints, limiting its scientific and clinical impact: the training program was relatively short, involved a limited
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Figure 2. Relationship between blood lactate concentration, rating of perceived exertion and heart rate in 15 patients with sickle cell disease during exercise.
The relationship between blood lactate concentration ([lactate]b) versus heart rate (HR) relationship during a first submaximal incremental test (black circles) or a second one for two patients (gray circles, panels N and O), as well as the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) values obtained during the same trials (open squares). HR at the first lactate threshold (LT1) as well as at 2.5 mmol.L-1 are also reported (vertical dotted lines).
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