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Validity and reproducibility of VO 2 max testing in a respiration chamber
Author(s) -
Kleinloog Jordi P. D.,
Laar Stephen P. G. A.,
Schoffelen Paul F. M.,
Plasqui Guy
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.13944
Subject(s) - respiration , reproducibility , concordance correlation coefficient , concordance , limits of agreement , vo2 max , coefficient of variation , zoology , mean difference , medicine , nuclear medicine , mathematics , heart rate , statistics , confidence interval , biology , anatomy , blood pressure
The aim of this study was to investigate whether VO 2 max can be accurately measured in a respiration chamber. Thirty participants aged 23.4 ± 3.9 years with a wide range in VO 2 max were included. Participants performed four incremental cycle ergometer tests (VO 2 max) with a minimum of 5 days between tests. These tests consisted of one familiarization test with face mask, followed by two VO 2 max tests in the respiration chamber and one test with face mask in randomized order. Oxygen consumption and CO 2 production were measured continuously using Omnical (Maastricht University, the Netherlands) gas analysis system. The mean VO 2 max was 3634 ± 766 ml, which resulted in mean VO 2 max per lean body mass of 60.8 ± 8.0 ml/kg. Repeated respiration chamber tests showed a high concordance, and no significant differences were detected between tests (Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (Rc) = 0.99; ∆70 ± 302 ml/min; p = .38). There was high concordance between the mean VO 2 max from both respiration chamber tests and the mean face mask tests, and no significant difference (Rc = 0.99; ∆41 ± 173 ml/min; p = .22) was observed. The Bland‐Altman plots showed no proportional bias between different tests. In conclusion, the respiration chamber has been found to be a valid and reproducible method for measuring VO 2 max. New research opportunities are possible in the respiration chamber, such as maximal exercise testing during 24‐hour measurements.