title: A new metabolic simulator system for routine cardiopulmonary exercise test equipment: technical specifications and validation. ECSC Working Group on Standardization Stress Test Methods.
abstract: Modern stress-test instruments require non-steady-state calibration (i.e., during exercise) instead of calibration at rest (i.e., before use) in stable conditions. The purpose of the present study was to describe a new specific computer-controlled check system for stress-test instruments, which operates on the basis of physiological respiratory equations. It can produce rapid and automatic modifications of metabolic data, allowing breath-to-breath simulation. When connected to the stress-test equipment to be controlled, it makes it possible to identify discrepancies between preset and measured values. Systematic comparative measurements were performed using as reference two mass spectrometer-controlled analysers and a high-precision flow meter. Accuracy, trend and reproducibility in continuously changing conditions were very satisfactory.
authors.affiliation: RGE Unit of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results