VALIDITY OF PEAK OXYGEN-UPTAKE CALCULATIONS FROM HEART-RATE DEFLECTION POINTS

Two graded exercise tests on a cycle ergometer were examined in regard to their predictability of the peak oxygen uptake ((V) over dot O(2)p eak) based upon the deflection points (Dp) in the heart rate curves. T he ''constant duration'' test (DUR-test) was based upon data from a pr evious maximal test. The ''constant distance'' test (DIS-test) was bas ed upon the subjects' body weight and fitness level. In both tests 29 male subjects, 25 to 35 years, pedalled until exhaustion and from thes e tests the Dp variables (heart rate, DpHR, and the workload, DpW) and the (V) over dot O(2)peak were determined. The subjects also underwen t the Astrand & Ryhming-test (A&R-test). Deflection points could be de tected for 15 subjects (52 %) in the DUR-test and for 18 subjects (62 %) in the DIS-test. In 13 subjects a Dp in both tests could be determi ned with a test-retest correlation coefficient of r = 0.66 for the DpH R and r = 0.79 for the DpW. Multiple regression analysis yielded the f ollowing equations: (V) over dot O(2)peak = 7.7538 + 0.0199 DpW-0.0506 DpHR (n = 15; r = 0.87; SEE = 0.29 l.min(-1)) for the DUR-test and (V ) over dot O(2)peak = 5.8673 + 0.0200 DpW - 0.0354 DpHR (n = 18; r = 0 .88; SEE = 0.40 l.min(-1)) for the DIS-test. Compared to the measured (V) over dot O(2)peak of the DUR-test and the DIS-test, the calculated (V) over dot O(2)peak from the A&R-test has a correlation coefficient of r = 0.74 and r = 0.77 with a SEE of 0.57 (13.3 %) and 0.55 (12.7 % ) l.min(-1). It was concluded that, when a deflection point in the W-H R curve is found, the (V) over dot O(2)peak can be calculated more acc urately with the developed regression equations in this study than wit h the A&R-test. However, since the graded exercise cycle tests present ed in this paper are only reliable in 33 of the 58 cases, they are use less for evaluating the (V) over dot O(2)peak in a practical sense, es pecially when no previous information about the appearance of a Dp is available.