R. Bingisser et al., EFFECT OF TRAINING ON REPEATABILITY OF CARDIOPULMONARY EXERCISE PERFORMANCE IN NORMAL MEN AND WOMEN, Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 29(11), 1997, pp. 1499-1504
The effect of gender and training on repeatability of cardiopulmonary
exercise performance has nor been well defined. Therefore, we performe
d two bicycle exercise tests 1 wk apart in each of two groups: In 19 n
ormal subjects (age 24 to 64 yr, 10 females), with a mean maximal oxyg
en uptake ((V) over dot O-2max) of 42 mL.kg(-1).min(-1), who had been
in an ongoing training program including bicycle exercise, and in 19 u
ntrained volunteers (23 to 54 yr, 11 females) with a mean (V) over dot
O-2max of 36 mL.kg(-1).min(-1) (P < 0.05). Mean differences in physio
logic variables measured during tests 1 and 2 were calculated. Repeata
bility coefficients were defined as 2 SD in percent of the means. In u
ntrained subjects mean (+/- SD) maximal heart rate decreased by 4 +/-
5 beats.min(-1) from the first to the second test (P < 0.05). (V) over
dot O-2max and maximal work rate (Wmax) remained unchanged. No signif
icant chan es in these or other variables occurred in trained subjects
. Repeatability coefficients for (V) over dot O-2max were 8 and 13% in
trained and untrained subjects, respectively (P = NS). For Wmax the r
epeatability coefficient in untrained (11%) exceeded that in trained s
ubjects (4%, P < 0.05). Repeatability coefficients did not differ amon
g males and females. Our study provides normal values for repeatabilit
y of various parameters assessed during exercise testing and demonstra
tes that interpretation of performance during repeated tests has to ac
count for training of the subjects.