TABLE 1

Characteristics of the tests reviewed

	Main variables	Physiological/perceptual variables	Reference values	Safety	Facilities	Multicentre trials experience	Prognostic information	Remarks
IET	V′_O₂peak, WR_peak, θ_L and V′_E–V′_CO₂ indices	V′_O₂, V′_E, WR, HR, θ_L, V′_E–V′_CO₂ indices, S_pO₂, dyspnoea, leg fatigue, IC, flow–volume and blood analysis	Available for V′_O₂peak, WR_peak, HR_peak and V′_E–V′_CO₂ indices	2–5/100 000 severe accidents; monitoring and CPR available or at hand recommended	Cycle or treadmill, a room, metabolic system, cardiac monitoring and pulse oximeter	+++	Survival	Relatively expensive; additional measurements easier on cycle
CWRET	t_LIM, isotime IC and perceptions	Isotime V′_O₂, V′_E, WR, HR, S_pO₂, dyspnoea, leg fatigue, flow–volume and blood analysis, IC and others		Good; monitoring and CPR available or at hand recommended^#	Cycle or treadmill, a room, metabolic system or spirometer, cardiac monitoring and pulse oximeter	+++		Relatively expensive; can be performed without metabolic system; additional measurements easier on cycle
ISWT	Distance and dyspnoea	HR, S_pO₂, dyspnoea and leg fatigue^¶	Available	Not measured; monitoring and CPR available or at hand recommended^#	10-m corridor and pulse oximeter	++	Survival re-admission (in COPD)	Audio signal under copyright; walk tests induce more desaturation
ESWT	Time or distance, dyspnoea	HR, S_pO₂, dyspnoea, leg fatigue^¶		Good; monitoring and CPR available or at hand recommended^#	10-m corridor and pulse oximeter	++		Audio signal under copyright; walking tests induce more desaturation
6MWT	Distance and dyspnoea	HR, S_pO₂, dyspnoea and leg fatigue^¶	Available	Good; not as much experience as with laboratory tests; monitoring and CPR available or at hand recommended^#	30-m corridor and pulse oximeter	+++	Survival; hospitalisation and exacerbations (in COPD)	Dependent on encouragement and track length and layout; walk tests induce more desaturation

IET: incremental exercise test; CWRET: constant work-rate exercise test; ISWT: incremental shuttle walk test; ESWT: endurance shuttle walk test; 6MWT: 6-min walk test; V′_O₂peak: peak oxygen uptake; WR_peak: peak work-rate (or peak power); θ_L: lactate threshold; V′_E–V′_CO₂: ventilation–CO₂ output indices; V′_O₂: oxygen uptake; V′_E: minute ventilation; WR: work-rate; HR: heart rate; S_pO₂: arterial oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry; IC: inspiratory capacity; HR_peak: peak heart rate; CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation; t_LIM: time to the limit of tolerance, typically for constant work-rate tests; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ^#: CWRT and ESWT are usually performed after an IET or a ISWT, respectively, in which the safety of exercising is assessed; ^¶: additional physiological information if a portable (expensive) metabolic system is used.