title: Comparison of peak cardiopulmonary performance parameters during robotics-assisted treadmill exercise and arm crank ergometry in incomplete spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (i) to compare cardiopulmonary performance parameters obtained from incremental exercise tests (IETs) performed using a robotics-assisted treadmill and an arm crank ergometer; (ii) to investigate test-retest reliability during both modes of exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each participant performed two IETs to the limit of tolerance on both a robotics-assisted treadmill and an arm crank ergometer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Spinal Injuries Unit in the United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 people with an incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peak oxygen uptake (VO(2peak)), the gas exchange threshold (GET), peak heart rate (HR(peak)) and peak lactate (Lactate(peak) were obtained for each mode of assessment. The mean responses and test-retest reliability of the main outcome measures were determined and compared between modes of assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VO(2peak) was 16% higher (p = 0.016) and the VO2 at the GET was 40% higher (p = 0.007) during the robotics-assisted treadmill exercise (RATE) IET. There was a trend for HR(peak) to be higher during arm crank ergometry (ACE) (p = 0.058). Lactate(peak) was 46% higher (p = 0.006) during the ACE IET. During robotics-assisted exercise, the test-retest reliability was very high for VO2(peak) (r = 0.95), high for the GET (r = 0.75) and HR(peak) (r = 0.88), and moderate for Lactate(peak) (r =0.58). For ACE, the test-retest reliability was very high for VO(2peak) (r = 0.93), high for HR(peak) (r = 0.81) and Lactate(peak) (r = 0.78), and low for the GET (r = 0.16).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that, when compared with ACE,RATE can be a highly effective stressor of the cardiopulmonary system, and may be a more appropriate mode of assessment to determine and monitor cardiopulmonary fitness in people with incomplete SCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Rehabilitation Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Lindsay P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Jack
authors.forename: Mariel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012371:Robotics; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid