title: Maximal cardiorespiratory fitness testing in individuals with chronic stroke with cognitive impairment: practice test effects and test-retest reliability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate, for individuals with chronic stroke with cognitive impairment, (1) the effects of a practice test on peak cardiorespiratory fitness test results; (2) cardiorespiratory fitness test-retest reliability; and (3) the relationship between individual practice test effects and cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 21 persons (men [n=12] and women [n=9]; age range, 48-81y; 44.9±36.2mo poststroke) with cognitive impairments who had sufficient lower limb function to perform the test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peak oxygen consumption (Vo(2)peak, ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Test-retest reliability of Vo(2)peak was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient model 2,1 [ICC2,1]=.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], .86-.98). A paired t test showed that there was no significant difference for the group for Vo(2)peak obtained from 2 symptom-limited cardiorespiratory fitness tests performed 1 week apart on a semirecumbent cycle ergometer (test 2-test 1 difference, -.32ml·kg(-1)·min(-1); 95% CI, -.69 to 1.33ml·kg(-1)·min(-1); P=.512). Individual test-retest differences in Vo(2)peak were, however, positively related to general cognitive function as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (ρ=.485; P<.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vo(2)peak can be reliably measured in this group without a practice test. General cognitive function, however, may influence the effect of a practice test in that those with lower general cognitive function appear to respond differently to a practice test than those with higher cognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Québec, QC, Canada; Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olivier
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doré
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blanchet
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: Nancy-Michelle
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Robitaille
authors.forename: Désirée B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Maltais
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: CES-D; CF; CI; CSN; Canadian Stroke Network; Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression; Cerebrovascular accident; Cognition disorders; Exercise test; HRpeak; ICC; MDC; MMSE; Mini-Mental State Examination; NINDS; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Psychometrics; Rehabilitation; Reliability of results; Vo(2)peak; cardiorespiratory fitness; confidence interval; difference for mass-relative Vo(2)peak; difference for peak heart rate; intraclass correlation coefficient; minimal detectable change; peak heart rate; peak oxygen consumption; revolutions per minute; rpm; ΔHRpeak; ΔVo(2)peak