title: Submaximal oxygen pulse divided by body weight during incremental exercise test.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine whether submaximal oxygen pulse divided by body weight (O2 pulse/BW) during an incremental exercise test discriminated between trained and untrained men, correlated to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at rest in post-myocardial infarction patients, and was sensitive and specific in detecting ventricular dysfunction and mild ventricular dysfunction with myocardial ischemia during exercise. Forty-three trained men, 44 untrained men, and 21 post-myocardial infarction patients pedaled a cycle ergometer, with O2 consumption, heart rate, and myocardial ischemia monitored during the exercise test. Work rate started at 10 W and increased 10 W/min stepwise; the O2 pulse and O2 pulse/BW at 10 through 120 W were calculated. The LVEF of the patients was measured at rest using radionuclide ventriculography three weeks after myocardial infarction. The results revealed that O2 pulse/BW was significantly different between trained and untrained men at 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 W, whereas O2 pulse was significantly different only at 110 and 120 W. Oxygen pulse/BW at 10 W, as well as 30 through 120 W, significantly correlated to LVEF in the patients. The three patients with ventricular dysfunction (LVEF, < 40%) plus the two patients with mild ventricular dysfunction (LVEF between 40 and 50%) and ST segment depression during exercise all had submaximal O2 pulse/BW significantly lower than untrained men (sensitivity, 100%). Among the 11 patients with normal ventricular function (LVEF, > 50%) plus the 5 patients with mild ventricular dysfunction but no ST segment depression, 13 patients did not have submaximal O2 pulse/BW significantly lower than untrained men (specificity, 81%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Republic of China.
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hsi
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011674:Pulse; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology