title: Variability in heart rate recovery measurements over 1 year in healthy, middle-aged adults.
abstract: This study assessed the longer-term (12-month) variability in post-exercise heart rate recovery following a submaximal exercise test. Longitudinal data was analysed for 97 healthy middle-aged adults (74 male, 23 female) from 2 occasions, 12 months apart. Participants were retrospectively selected if they had stable physical activity habits, submaximal treadmill fitness and anthropometric measurements between the 2 assessment visits. A submaximal Bruce treadmill test was performed to at least 85% age-predicted maximum heart rate. Absolute heart rate and Δ heart rate recovery (change from peak exercise heart rate) were recorded for 1 and 2 min post-exercise in an immediate supine position. Heart rate recovery at both time-points was shown to be reliable with intra-class correlation coefficient values ≥ 0.714. Absolute heart rate 1-min post-exercise showed the strongest agreement between repeat tests (r = 0.867, P < 0.001). Lower coefficient of variation (≤ 10.2%) and narrower limits of agreement were found for actual heart rate values rather than Δ heart rate recovery, and for 1-min rather than 2-min post-exercise recovery time points. Log-transformed values generated better variability with acceptable coefficient of variation for all measures (2.2-10%). Overall, 1 min post-exercise heart rate recovery data had least variability over the 12-month period in apparently healthy middle-aged adults.
authors.affiliation: Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Mellis
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Health & Exercise Science, University of Hull, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ingle
authors.affiliation: Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carroll
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors