PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alexandra M. Preisser
AU  - Marcial Velasco Garrido
AU  - Cordula Bittner
AU  - Volker Harth
TI  - Are the results of gradual versus continuous increase of load in ergometric tests comparable?
DP  - 2014 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P3685
VI  - 44
IP  - Suppl 58
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P3685.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P3685.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2014 Sep 01; 44
AB  - Background: Standard exercise testing (ET) comprises progressive exercise provocation with cardiovascular monitoring. Exercise tolerance is estimated from workload. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) is a non-invasive measurement of ventilatory gas exchange and provides more accurate quantifications of cardiorespiratory fitness. Workload is usually increased stepwise in ET and continuously (ramp) in CPX. Are the results comparable?Methods: 32 healthy volunteers (17 f/15 m, age 26.8±6.1, BMI 24.5±3.0) underwent exercise testing on a bicycle ergometer up to maximum physical exhaustion; under ramp protocol (CPX) and 2-7 days later with stepwise increase (ET). We compared physical performance under both methods according to max. workload, PWC150, PWC170, and exercise duration using paired t-tests.Results: There were no significant differences in maximum heart rate (CPX: 177±11.7/min ET: 179±11.2/min, ns) or maximal workload (220±51 vs. 209±43, ns). PWC150 and PWC150/kg were higher (157±51 vs. 146±42, and 2.1±0.5 vs. 1.9±0.4, both p<0.001). Exercise duration was almost equal (12.1 vs. 11.3 min, ns). Women achieved a sign. better wattage compared with predicted (185±29.5 vs. 156 W pred, p<0.001) and also for V'O2(2336±448 vs. 2064 ml/min pred, p<0.05). Men showed slight better V'O2(3349±625 vs. 3289 ml/min pred, ns), wattage was below the reference value (240±35.1 vs. 268 W pred, ns).Conclusions: Overall physical performance was higher with CPX. Since the results are similar, we recommend the CPX: wattage and other parameters in performance assessment are to be determined directly. The target values of the wattages on the bicycle ergometer for women need to be reviewed.