Sportkardiologie / Sports Cardiology

Abstract

Objective: To construct quantile reference values for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) measured by cycle ergometer-based incremental cardiopulmonary exercise tests.Design: Cross-sectional study using quantile regressions to fit sex- and age-specific quantile curves. Exercise tests were conducted using cycle ergometry. Maximal effort in the exercise tests was assumed when RER 1.1 or lactate 8mmol*L-1or maximal heart rate 90% of the age-predicted maximal heart rate. This was assessed retrospectively for a random subsample with an a priori calculated sample size of n=252 participants. A network of private outpatient clinics in three German cities recorded the results of cycle ergometer-based cardiopulmonary exercise tests to a central data base (Prevention First Registry) from 2001 to 2015.Participants: 10,090 participants (6,462 men, 3,628 women) from more than 100 local companies volunteered in workplace health promotion programs. Participants were aged 467 years, were free of acute complaints, and had primarily sedentary working environments.Results: Peak oxygen uptake was measured as absolute VO2peak in L*min-1and relative VO2peak in mL*min-1*kg-1. Median relative VO2peak was 36 and 30mL*min-1*kg-1 at 40 to 49 years, as well as 32 and 26mL*min-1*kg-1 at 50 to 59 years for men and women, respectively. An estimated proportion of 97% of the participants performed the exercise test until exertion.Conclusions: Reference values and nomograms for VO2peak were derived from a large cohort of preventive health care examinations of healthy white-collar workers. The presented results can be applied to participants of exercise tests using cycle ergometer who are part of a population that is comparable to this study. KEY WORDS: Exercise Test, Physical Fitness, Peak Oxygen Uptake, VO2peak, Reference Values