title: Comparison of peak cardiopulmonary performance parameters on a robotics-assisted tilt table, a cycle and a treadmill.
abstract: Robotics-assisted tilt table (RATT) technology provides body support, cyclical stepping movement and physiological loading. This technology can potentially be used to facilitate the estimation of peak cardiopulmonary performance parameters in patients who have neurological or other problems that may preclude testing on a treadmill or cycle ergometer. The aim of the study was to compare the magnitude of peak cardiopulmonary performance parameters including peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and peak heart rate (HRpeak) obtained from a robotics-assisted tilt table (RATT), a cycle ergometer and a treadmill. The strength of correlations between the three devices, test-retest reliability and repeatability were also assessed. Eighteen healthy subjects performed six maximal exercise tests, with two tests on each of the three exercise modalities. Data from the second tests were used for the comparative and correlation analyses. For nine subjects, test-retest reliability and repeatability of VO2peak and HRpeak were assessed. Absolute VO2peak from the RATT, the cycle ergometer and the treadmill was (mean (SD)) 2.2 (0.56), 2.8 (0.80) and 3.2 (0.87) L/min, respectively (p < 0.001). HRpeak from the RATT, the cycle ergometer and the treadmill was 168 (9.5), 179 (7.9) and 184 (6.9) beats/min, respectively (p < 0.001). VO2peak and HRpeak from the RATT vs the cycle ergometer and the RATT vs the treadmill showed strong correlations. Test-retest reliability and repeatability were high for VO2peak and HRpeak for all devices. The results demonstrate that the RATT is a valid and reliable device for exercise testing. There is potential for the RATT to be used in severely impaired subjects who cannot use the standard modalities.
authors: Institute for Rehabilitation and Performance Technology, Division of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Engineering and Information Technology, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Burgdorf, Switzerland; ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Research Group, Bern University, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors: Jittima
authors: J
authors: Saengsuwan
authors: ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Research Group, Bern University, Bern, Switzerland.
authors: Tobias
authors: T
authors: Nef
authors: Institute for Rehabilitation and Performance Technology, Division of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Engineering and Information Technology, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Burgdorf, Switzerland.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Laubacher
authors: Institute for Rehabilitation and Performance Technology, Division of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Engineering and Information Technology, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Burgdorf, Switzerland.
authors: Kenneth J
authors: KJ
authors: Hunt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult