The efficacy of a verification stage for determining V˙O2max and the impact of sampling intervals

Abstract

It is unknown whether oxygen uptake (V̇O2) sampling intervals influence the efficacy of a verification stage following a graded exercise test (GXT). Fifteen females and 14 males (18–25 years) completed a maximal treadmill GXT. After a 5 ​min recovery, the verification stage began at the speed and grade corresponding with the penultimate stage from the GXT. Maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O2max) from the incremental GXT (iV̇O2max) and V̇O2max from the verification stage (verV̇O2max) were determined using 10 seconds (s), 30 ​s, and 60 ​s from breath ​× ​breath averages. There was no main effect for V̇O2max measure (iV̇O2maxvs. verV̇O2max) 10 ​s ([47.9 ​± ​8.31] ml∙kg−1∙min−1 vs [48.85 ​± ​7.97] ml∙kg−1∙min−1), 30 ​s ([46.94 ​± ​8.62] ml∙kg−1∙min−1 vs [47.28 ​± ​7.97] ml∙kg−1∙min−1), and 60 ​s ([46.17 ​± ​8.62] ml∙kg−1∙min−1 vs [46.00 ​± ​8.00] ml∙kg−1∙min−1]. There was a stage ​× ​sampling interval interaction as the difference between (verV̇O2max−iV̇O2max) was greater for 10-s than 60-s sampling intervals. The verV̇O2max was > 4% higher than iV̇O2maxin 31%, 31%, and 17% of the tests for the 10-s, 30-s, and 60-s sampling intervals respectively. Sensitivity for the plateau was 90% for all sampling intervals; while specificity was < 25%. Findings from the present study suggest that the efficacy of verification stages for eliciting a higher V̇O2max may be influenced by the sampling interval utilized.

Keywords

• V˙O2max testing
• Verification stage
• V˙O2max criteria specificity
• V˙O2max criteria sensitivity