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Erschienen in:
15.10.2022 | Original Article
Methodological considerations for the determination of VO2max in healthy men
Erschienen in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Ausgabe 1/2023
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Purpose
A square-wave verification bout to confirm maximal oxygen uptake (\(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2max) from a graded exercise test (GXT) has been recommended. This study ascertained if a verification bout is necessary to determine \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2max in moderately trained men.
Methods
Ten men (24 ± 4 years) completed familiarization and two treadmill GXTs, followed by a submaximal verification bout to determine \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT and \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2verification (highest \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2 from each testing method). After completing the GXT, subjects rested for 5 min then performed a verification bout at 90% speed and 50% incline at termination of the GXT. The analyses included a 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC2,1), standard errors of the measurement (SEM), minimal differences (MD), and coefficients of variation (CoV).
Results
There was no test (test 1 vs test 2) × method (GXT vs verification) interaction (p = 0.584), or main effect for test (p = 0.320), but there was a main effect for method (p = 0.011). The \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT (50.9±3.0 mL·kg−1·min−1) was greater than \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2verification (46.9 ± mL·kg−1·min−1). The \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT (ICC = 0.988, SEM = 1.0 mL·kg−1 min−1, MD = 2.9 mL kg−1 min−1, CoV = 2.03%) and \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2verification (ICC = 0.976, SEM = 1.0 mL·kg−1 min−1, MD = 2.7 mL·kg−1·min−1, CoV = 2.03%) demonstrated “excellent” reliability. No subject exceeded the MD for \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT test–retest or for \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2verification test–retest, but 50% of subjects had a \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT that was greater than the \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2verification (> MD).
Conclusion
While \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT and \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2verification demonstrated excellent reliability, \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT from a stand-alone GXT provided higher estimates of \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2 and, therefore, should be considered \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2max. The lack of test–retest differences in \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2GXT above the MD indicated that subjects achieved their highest \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2 (\(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2max) from a standalone GXT. Therefore, the verification bout may not be required to confirm \(\dot{\mathrm{V}}\)O2max in this population.