Similar maximal oxygen uptake assessment from a step cycling incremental test and verification tests on the same or different day.

The present study aimed to compare maximal oxygen uptake of a step incremental test with time to exhaustion verification tests (TLIM) performed on the same or different day. Nineteen recreationally trained cyclists (age: 23 ± 2.7 years; maximal oxygen uptake: 48.0 ± 5.8 mL·kg-1·min-1) performed 3 maximal tests as follows: (i) same day: an incremental test with 3-min stages followed by a TLIM at 100% of peak power output of the incremental test (TLIM-SAME) interspaced by 15 min; and (ii) different day: a TLIM at 100% of peak power output of the incremental test (TLIM-DIFF). The maximal oxygen uptake was determined for the 3 tests. The maximal oxygen uptake was not different among the tests (incremental: 3.83 ± 0.41; TLIM-SAME: 3.72 ± 0.42; TLIM-DIFF: 3.75 ± 0.41 L·min-1; P = 0.951). Seven subjects presented a variability greater than ±3% in both verification tests compared with the incremental test. The same-day verification test decreased the exercise tolerance (240 ± 38 vs. 310 ± 36 s) compared with TLIM-DIFF (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the incremental protocol is capable of measuring maximal oxygen uptake because similar values were observed in comparison with verification tests. Although the need for the verification phase is questionable, the additional tests are useful to evaluate individual variability. Novelty Step incremental test is capable of measuring maximal oxygen uptake with similar values during TLIM on the same or different day. Although the necessity of the verification phase is questionable, it can allow the determination of variability in maximal oxygen uptake.

Estimation of the VO2 peak, ventilatory threshold and the respiratory compensation point based on the gas exchange kinetics during the transition to constant-load exercise / Estimação do VO2 peak, do limiar ventilatório e do ponto de compensação respiratória baseada na cinética das trocas gasosas durante a transição para exercício com carga constante

The main goal of this work was to estimate the peak O2 uptake (VO2 peak), the ventilatory threshold (VT) and the respiratory compensation point (RC) based on the kinetics of the VO2, the CO2 output (VCO2) and the pulmonary ventilation (VE) for a given steady state workload. Thirty-two physically active healthy male subjects were submitted to an exercise equivalent to 50% of the maximal estimated workload, followed by a progressive workload (12.5 W/min) until exhaustion. During exercise, respiratory gas exchanges were measured breath-by-breath. VO2,VCO2 and VE time responses to constant workload were modeled through a triple exponential function using non-linear regression. VT and RC were detected automatically during progressive exercise, resulting in 73.7 ± 9.1% and 86.4 ± 7.2% of the VO2peak, respectively. Models of VO2peak, VT and RC were obtained through multiple linear regressions, and validated by the leave-one-out method. All models presented high significance (VO2peak: r2 = 0.84,SE = 230.2 ml/min; VT: r2 = 0.79, SE = 208.1 ml/min; and RC: r2 = 0.78, SE = 232.5 ml/min; p < 0.001) and were adequately validated, resulting in mean error of 238 ml/min. In conclusion, VT, RC as well as the VO2 peak were satisfactorily estimated through gas exchange kinetics. Therefore, this approach could be used as a potential tool for estimating maximal and sub-maximal responses to progressive exercise.

O objetivo central deste trabalho foi estimar o pico de captação de oxigênio (VO2peak), o limiar ventilatório (VT) e o ponto de compensação respiratória (RC) com base na cinética do VO2, da eliminação de CO2 (VCO2 ) e da ventilação pulmonar (VE) para uma determinada carga em regime permanente. Trinta e dois homens saudáveis e fisicamente ativos foram submetidos a um exercício equivalente a 50% da carga máxima estimada, seguido de cargas progressivas (12,5 W/min) até a exaustão. As trocas gasosas foram medidas ciclo-a-ciclo respiratório. As respostas temporais de VO2, VCO2 e VE à carga constante foram modeladas por uma função exponencial tripla empregando regressão não linear. Os valores de VT e RC foram detectados automaticamente durante o exercício progressivo, resultando em 73,7 ± 9,1% e 86,4 ± 7,2% de VO2peak, respectivamente. Modelos de VO2peak, VT e RC foram obtidos através de regressão linear múltipla e validados pelo método leave-one-out. Todos os modelos apresentaram alta significância (VO2 peak: r2 = 0,84, SE = 230,2 ml/min; VT: r2 = 0,79, SE = 208,1 ml/min; e RC: r2 = 0,78, SE = 232,5 ml/min; p < 0,001) e foram validados adequadamente, resultando num erro médio de 238 ml/min. Em conclusão, VT, RC e VO2peak foram satisfatoriamente estimados através da cinética das trocas gasosas, sendo este método uma ferramenta potencial para a estimativa das respostas máximas e sub-máximas a exercício progressivo.