title: Response of the oxygen uptake efficiency slope to exercise training in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) is a new exercise parameter that provides prognostic power in patients with CHF. Little is known about the effects of exercise training (ET) on OUES.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the response of OUES to 6 months of ET in CHF patients and compare its evolution to that of other exercise variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  35 patients with CHF (NYHA II-III, age 54+/-9y, LVEF 31+/-10%) performed 3 maximal exercise tests, i.e. at the start, middle and end of a 6 month ET program. OUES, PeakVO(2), ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) and slope VE/VCO(2) were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OUES, peakVO(2), VAT, slope VE/VCO(2), peak Watt, 6MWT and NYHA-class improved during the first part of the ET period (p<0.05). Only VAT, peak Watt and 6MWT continued to improve during the second part of the ET period (p<0.05) Improvements in OUES correlated better with improvements in peakVO(2) (r=0.77, p<0.001), than changes in other prognostic variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OUES improves significantly after 6 months of ET. Changes in peakVO(2) correlate best with changes in OUES. OUES is sensitive to ET and can be used to evaluate the progression of exercise capacity in CHF patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Artevelde Institute of Higher Education Ghent, Belgium. christophe.vanlaethem@arteveldehs.be <christophe.vanlaethem@arteveldehs.be>
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Laethem
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van De Veire
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: Salhi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bihija
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seghers
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cambier
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vanderheyden
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Sutter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen