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Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty: follow-up with treadmill exercise testing.

Between 1986 and 1992, 308 percutaneous transluminal angioplasties in 252 patients were reviewed in the vascular laboratory of the Austin Hospital. The follow-up period ranged from 1 month to 6 years. Treadmill exercise testing was used as an additional mode of assessment to resting ankle/brachial pressure indices in monitoring outcome. Early haemodynamic improvement rate was 86.7%. In 267 successful cases, 199 had increased the mean(s.d.) resting ankle/brachial pressure index from 0.68(0.15) to 0.96(0.14) (P < 0.05) and another 68 with normal or unchanged resting ankle/brachial pressure indices after the procedure increased the mean(s.d.) post-exercise pressure index from 0.45(0.24) to 0.82(0.23) (P < 0.05). The primary haemodynamic improvement rate of initially successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasties was 80.1% at 1 year and was maintained in 46.1% of cases 5 years after. Treadmill exercise testing revealed reduction of the ankle/brachial pressure index in 69 patients during follow-up, indicating restenosis of the dilated lesion or development of a new arterial stenosis. Fifty-two of the 69 patients exhibited a significant drop in the resting pressure index. However, in the 17 remaining patients, only the post-exercise index decrease indicated haemodynamic deterioration. Treadmill exercise testing proved to be valuable adjunct in detecting haemodynamic changes after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

Adult↗

Exercise tolerance and blood pressure response to exercise testing in children and adolescents after renal transplantation.

The aim of the study was to assess exercise tolerance and blood pressure (BP) response to treadmill exercise in children after renal transplantation. Forty-five children were selected (29 males and 16 females) whose mean age was 14.3 +/- 4.2 years. All children had Hb >/= 10 g/dl and creatinine clearance >/=40 ml/min/1.73 m2. They were at least 6 months posttransplantation and were on triple immunosuppressive therapy. Twenty-seven were also on various antihypertensive medications. Each underwent clinical examination and measurement of BP, both at rest and during exercise testing on treadmill. The test was stopped on muscular fatigue or exhaustion. The patients were divided into two groups: those off (A) or on (B) antihypertensive therapy. When compared to a population of healthy children the patients had reduced exercise tolerance (10.1 +/- 2.1 vs 15.1 +/- 1.7 min, p < 0.001) (67 +/- 16%), increased heart rate (174 +/- 19 vs 161 +/- 19 beats/min, p < 0.001) (109 +/- 15%), and increased maximum systolic BP (150 +/- 26 vs 134 +/- 13 mmHg, p < 0. 001) (113 +/- 19%) at comparable workloads. Within the two patient groups, significant differences were observed during exercise testing for maximum heart rate, which was lower in group B (p = 0.03), and maximum systolic BP, which was higher in group A (p = 0.04). Our study confirms that children and adolescents on immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation have a hypertensive response during exercise, probably related to medication-induced peripheral vascular tone.

Adolescent↗

[Exercise testing in cardiac patients].

Symptom-limited incremental exercise tests have been used, to estimate the severity of cardiovascular disease and the patients' daily activity. However, there is a considerable amount of interest in obtaining submaximal measurements of aerobic function rather than parameters requiring maximal exercise effort. We compared the parameters obtained during the incremental exercise with those during the 6 minutes of moderate constant work rate exercise. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2) and the anaerobic threshold were significantly decreased in patients with cardiovascular disease as compared to normal subjects. The slope of the increase in carbon dioxide output (VCO2) to the increase in VO2 (delta VCO2/delta VO2) above the anaerobic threshold was significantly increased and the slope of the increase in VO2 to the increase in work rate (delta VO2/delta WR) was significantly decreased in patients with cardiovascular disease. The anaerobic threshold was found to occur at the work rate above which left ventricular function decreased during exercise in these patients. The time constant of VO2 during and following recovery from 6 minutes of 50 watts of constant work rate exercise was significantly longer (the kinetics of VO2 were slower) in patients with cardiovascular disease than in normal subjects. The time constant of VO2 was significantly negatively correlated with peak VO2 and maximum work rate obtained during the incremental exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anaerobic Threshold↗

Diagnostic value of computerized exercise testing in men without previous myocardial infarction. A multivariate, compartmental and probabilistic approach.

The value of exercise testing for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease is disputed but very few studies have taken advantage of all recent improvements, namely computer averaging of the ECG signals, multivariate analysis of the data, a compartmental diagnostic approach and probabilistic interpretation of the results. These methods were tested in a group of 387 men who had a computer-assisted multistage maximal exercise test; none had a history of myocardial infarction. In 284 symptomatic patients, the diagnosis was made by arteriography; 103 ostensibly healthy men were also included. The computer-averaged ECG signals (X, Y, Z) recorded at maximal exercise, maximal heart rate, blood pressure and workload, and the onset of angina pectoris during exercise were submitted to a multivariate stepwise discriminant analysis. The pretest likelihood for CAD was calculated from age and history; the post-test likelihood was calculated from Bayes' theorem and the average information content of several diagnostic methods was assessed in categorical and compartmental models. By multivariate analysis, 5 variables collected at maximal exercise were selected, namely the heart-rate, the ST60 segment level, the onset of angina during the test, the workload and the slope of the ST segment in lead X. The average information content of the analysis using 5 variables was 44% in a categorical model versus 55% in a compartmental model (P less than 0.001). For comparison, the information content of the analysis using the ST60 segment level alone was only 16% in the categorical model and 27% in the compartmental model. The clinical value of these diagnostic methods (categorical versus compartmental, univariate versus multivariate) was assessed by a probabilistic classification of the patients. The classification provided by the analysis of the ST60 segment changes was barely better than that one provided by the simple history. The probabilistic use of a multivariate and compartmental analysis of the data led to a significantly better and more accurate classification of the patients (83% of correct classification).

Adult↗

Which exercise test variables are of prognostic importance post-myocardial infarction?

The prognostic value of parameters noted on pre-discharge exercise testing was assessed in 300 survivors of acute myocardial infarction. Exercise testing was performed at a mean of 9 days post-infarction. Each patient's data were studied for the presence of ST-segment depression or elevation greater than or equal to 0.1 mV in any of the 12 leads recorded, angina pectoris, exertional hypotension and duration of exercise. The patients were followed for a mean of 12 months and the incidence of death, reinfarction, angina pectoris, heart failure and coronary revascularization procedures was noted. All variables studied, other than the presence of exercise-induced ST-segment elevation, were significantly associated with the occurrence of subsequent cardiac events (P less than 0.001). Exercise-induced ST-segment depression identified 80% of patients who developed complications and was significantly more sensitive than any of the other variables as a prognostic marker (P less than 0.05). The finding of angina pectoris, an abnormal blood pressure response or a limited exercise tolerance in association with exercise-induced ST-segment depression heightened the prognostic implications of this variable.

Angina Pectoris↗

Cardiokymography during exercise testing: a new device for the detection of coronary artery disease and left ventricular wall motion abnormalities.

The cardiokymograph (CKG) is a device that has been shown to reflect left ventricular (LV) wall motion abnormalities. Its accuracy in detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) during treadmill exercise testing was assessed in 204 consecutive patients undergoing coronary arteriography. Of the 188 patients with a technically adequate CKG, 146 (78%) had significant CAD. The sensitivity and specificity were similar for both the exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) (66% and 86%, respectively) and the exercise CKG (73% and 95%, respectively). An abnormal exercise CKG was significantly more common in patients with 3-vessel CAD than in those with 1-vessel disease (97% versus 52%, respectively; p less than 0.001) and in patients with left anterior descending disease than in those without (85% versus 26%, respectively; p less than 0.001). Seventy patients showed both an abnormal exercise ECG and CKG; all had CAD and 86% had multivessel CAD. Forty-eight patients demonstrated a normal exercise ECG and CKG; 29% had CAD but only 6% had multivessel CAD. Among 55 patients who had simultaneous exercise radionuclide ventriculography, new septal or apical wall motion abnormalities were found in 79% (23 of 29) of patients with an abnormal CKG compared with 19% (5 of 26) of patients with a normal CKG (p less than 0.001). Thus, the CKG during exercise testing accurately reflects LV wall motion abnormalities and can be used to improve the diagnostic accuracy of exercise testing as an additional marker of myocardial ischemia.

Adult↗

Exercise testing determines survival in patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease evaluated for lung transplantation.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Diffuse parenchymal lung disease is associated with a high risk of mortality despite early referral and listing for lung transplantation. We hypothesized that cardiopulmonary exercise test results and the distance walked in 6min (6MWTD) would be associated with survival in patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease referred for lung transplantation. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: We included 51 consecutive patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease who underwent exercise testing after referral to the Lung Transplant Program at the New York Presbyterian Hospital between January 2000 and December 2002. Thirty-three patients were listed, and 7 underwent transplantation during the study period. There were 17 deaths with 1 death post-transplantation. RESULTS: A 6MWTD < 350 m was associated with an increased risk of death (HR = 4.6, 95% CI 1.5-14.2, P = 0.009). Oxygen saturation with unloaded exercise (HR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.98, P = 0.015) and oxygen consumption at peak exercise adjusted for weight (HR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.79-0.99, P = 0.039) were also associated with the risk of death. A patient with oxygen saturation <95% during unloaded exercise had a 75% chance of dying on the list for transplantation. A patient with 6MWTD < 350 m had a 67% chance of dying on the list. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters and the 6MWTD were associated with the risk of death. Measures during exercise may be useful for determination of prognosis and for prioritizing patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease for lung transplantation.

Adult↗

Submaximal invasive exercise testing and quantitative lung scanning in the evaluation for tolerance of lung resection.

Lung resection in patients with cardiopulmonary dysfunction is associated with increased risk. We studied 52 elderly male patients with airflow obstruction and a lung mass. Studies were performed at rest with routine ventilatory tests and lung scan quantitation of right-left lung function. Cycle ergometry exercise was then performed at 2 submaximal work loads (25 and 40 watts). Data were obtained using systemic and pulmonary artery catheterization for blood pressures, thermal dilution cardiac output, and blood gases. Twenty-nine patients underwent lung resection and seven failed to tolerate the procedure (death within 60 days or prolonged ventilator dependence). Those parameters most clearly separating the group tolerating surgery (n = 22) from the intolerant group (n = 7) were obtained during exercise and included: cardiac index (tolerant 5.5 +/- 1.3 vs intolerant 3.9 +/- 0.3 L/min/m2, p less than .01), O2 delivery (p less than .01) and calculated VO2 ml/kg/min (tolerant 11.3 +/- 2.1 vs intolerant 7.8 +/- 1.5 ml/kg/min, p less than .001). Pulmonary vascular pressures and calculated resistance did not predict intolerance. Calculated VO2 at 40 watts did not separate those patients who had survivable complications from those who did not (p much greater than .05). Multivariate analysis suggests that exercise VO2 is an important predictor of tolerance of lung resection because it reflects the effects of cardiac function and O2 transport. In our patients with COPD, submaximal exercise testing predicted intolerance of lung resection better than calculation using quantitative lung scanning. Exercise testing may accomplish this goal by uncovering deficits in O2 transport.

Aged↗

Application of meta-analysis using an electronic spread sheet to exercise testing in patients after myocardial infarction.

Decision analysis is being applied to medical practice in order to achieve cost efficacy in health care delivery. Critical to this process is establishing the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of medical tests and the effectiveness of interventions. Meta-analysis is an approach that applies statistical methods to groups of studies in order to extract consensus results. Electronic spreadsheets facilitate meta-analysis with their ability to store, sort, graph, and mathematically manipulate both the methodologic approaches and clinical findings of seemingly disparate studies. As an example, this application is demonstrated with an analysis of studies that were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of exercise testing in patients recovering from a myocardial infarction. The following conclusions were reached: (1) patients excluded from exercise testing have the highest mortality; (2) only subsets of patients have been tested resulting in highly selected patient samples that make findings difficult to generalize; (3) of the five exercise test responses, only an abnormal systolic blood pressure response and a poor exercise capacity predicted risk more frequently than by chance; (4) submaximal or predischarge testing has greater predictive power than postdischarge or maximal testing; and (5) exercise-induced ST segment depression only appears to be predictive of increased risk in patients with inferior-posterior myocardial infarctions. This approach to combining studies is important since even careful analysis of a single study cannot elucidate all of the complex interactions and selective biases that have occurred. However, comparison of many heterogeneous studies is at best an arduous and time-consuming task. This approach to using electronic spreadsheets to collate and analyze multiple studies facilitates recognition of the population characteristics, clinical factors, and methodologic considerations that affect outcome and allows the quick inclusion of additional studies for re-analysis and interpretation.

Blood Pressure↗

Post-myocardial infarction exercise testing. Non-Q wave versus Q wave correlation with coronary angiography and long-term prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The presence or absence of baseline diagnostic Q waves has been believed to compromise the accuracy of standard exercise electrocardiography in identifying severe coronary artery disease (three-vessel and/or left main disease); therefore, a retrospective analysis was performed using a personal computer data base of exercise test responses and cardiac catheterization results to evaluate this premise, and follow-up was performed to observe how Q waves and/or severe coronary disease impacted on survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-three male patients who had survived a myocardial infarction were studied. Patients on digitalis, those with left bundle branch block or left ventricular hypertrophy on their baseline electrocardiogram, those with previous revascularization procedures, and those with significant valvular or congenital heart disease were excluded. All patients performed either a low-level predischarge or a sign/symptom limited exercise test and underwent diagnostic coronary angiography within 32 days of each test (range, 0-90 days). Long-term follow-up on patients was performed for an average of 45 months (+/- 17 months). Group NQMI comprised 103 post-myocardial infarction patients lacking Q waves at the time of exercise testing and group QMI comprised 150 patients who developed Q waves with their myocardial infarction. The cut points of greater than or equal to 1 mm (chi 2 = 14.39, p less than 0.001) and greater than or equal to 2 mm (chi 2 = 26.11, p less than 0.001) of exercise-induced ST segment depression were reliable markers of severe coronary disease in Q wave infarct survivors. This was also true for non-Q wave infarct survivors as greater than or equal to 1 mm (chi 2 = 6.02, p = 0.01) and greater than or equal to 2 mm (chi 2 = 4.37, p = 0.04) of ST segment depression were reliable markers of severe coronary disease. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that exercise-induced ST segment depression had discriminating power for the identification of severe coronary artery disease in both the Q wave myocardial infarction patients (area = 0.735, z = 4.47, p less than 0.001) and the non-Q wave infarct patients (area = 0.700, z = 3.20, p less than 0.001). After 4.4 years of cumulative follow-up, patients with severe coronary disease had an infarct-free survival rate of 72% (95%, CI, 50.0-86.0%), whereas those without severe disease had an 86% (95% CI, 76.5-91.5%) infarct-free survival rate (Cox chi 2 = 4.00, p = 0.045). Non-Q wave patients had an infarct-free survival rate of 81% (95% CI, 66.0-89.5%), whereas those with Q waves had an infarct-free survival rate of 85% (95% CI, 73.9-91.3%) (Cox chi 2 = 0.0005, p = NS). CONCLUSIONS: The presence or absence of diagnostic Q waves has no significant effect on the ability of the exercise electrocardiogram to identify severe coronary artery disease in survivors of myocardial infarction. Long-term infarct-free survival of patients with myocardial infarction is more related to the presence of severe coronary disease rather than if they suffered a non-Q wave or Q wave infarction.

Coronary Angiography↗

Silent myocardial ischemia during daily activities in asymptomatic men with positive exercise test responses.

The usefulness of prolonged ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring (AEM) for detecting ischemia was investigated in 17 asymptomatic men who had ischemic-type ST-segment depression (greater than or equal to 2.0 mm) during treadmill exercise testing. No patient took anti-ischemic medications and all patients underwent coronary angiography. A total of 1,154 hours (range 64 to 72 hours/patient) of high-quality AEM recordings was obtained. Silent ischemia (episodes of asymptomatic ischemic-type ST depression of 60 seconds or longer) occurred in 11 patients during daily activity detected by AEM. In 6 other patients, no myocardial ischemic episodes were found. But 1 of these patients withdrew after only 24 hours of AEM and the remaining 5 had no significant coronary artery disease (CAD). All 11 patients who had silent ischemia had significant CAD (at least 50% stenosis) on angiography. There was wide intrapatient variability in the frequency of silent ischemic episodes. Silent ischemia was identified in 6 of these 11 patients after 24 hours of AEM, in 2 after 48 hours and in 3 after 72 hours. Thus, asymptomatic men with positive exercise test responses and CAD have silent ischemic episodes during daily activity. AEM may be useful in helping to predict which patients with asymptomatic positive exercise test responses have CAD; however, extended AEM periods are required.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

INTRODUCTION: Accurate assessment of the exercise capacity of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is important for the dual purpose of exercise prescription and determining response to therapy. Currently, the clinical utility of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) of patients with COPD as part of their evaluation for pulmonary rehabilitation is not established. The aims of this study were to evaluate the role of CPET in determining maximal exercise capacity and the causes of exercise limitation in patients with COPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The results of resting pulmonary function tests and CPET performed on 33 subjects with stable COPD as part of their evaluation for pulmonary rehabilitation were reviewed. Thirty-two of these patients had moderate or severe COPD. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of the 33 patients were able to perform maximal exercise tests during CPET. Of these 29 maximal tests, the causes of exercise limitation were ventilatory limitation in 17 patients, significant oxygen desaturation in 1 patient and both ventilatory limitation and oxygen desaturation in 11 patients. Limb muscle dysfunction is a possible limiting factor in the 4 patients with sub-maximal tests. Physical deconditioning may be a contributory factor of exercise intolerance in 2 patients. Although there was significant correlation (r = 0.597, P = 0.01) between peak VO2 percent predicted and FEV1 percent predicted, there was marked variability of peak VO2 for a given degree of airflow obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: CPET is useful for determining the causes of exercise limitation and for assessing the maximal exercise capacity of patients with COPD.

Aged↗

A prospective study of long term prognosis in young myocardial infarction survivors: the prognostic value of angiography and exercise testing.

OBJECTIVES: To define the ability of early exercise testing and coronary angiography to predict prognosis in young survivors of myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: 255 consecutive patients (210 men) aged 55 years or less (mean 48 years) admitted to hospital (1981-85) were eligible. Of these, 150 patients (130 men) who were able to exercise early after MI and underwent coronary angiography within six months constituted the study group and were followed up for up to 15 years. Survival data up to 18 years was obtained for the whole cohort. RESULTS: Survival at a median of 16 years was 52% for the whole cohort, 62% for the study group, and 48% for the excluded group. From nine years onwards survival deteriorated significantly in the study group compared with an age matched background population. Fifteen years after MI, 121 patients (81%) in the study group had had at least one event (death, MI, revascularisation, cardiac readmission, stroke) leaving 29 (19%) event-free. The number of diseased vessels was the major determinant of time to first event (p = 0.001) and event-free survival (p = 0.04). Exercise duration was also important in the prediction of time to first event (p = 0.003). Death was influenced by a history of prior MI. CONCLUSION: The favourable initial survival was followed by significant deterioration after nine years. This late attrition is an important treatment target. Furthermore, this study supports risk stratification early after MI combining angiography with non-invasive tools.

Age Factors↗

Effects of caffeine ingestion on exercise testing: a meta-analysis.

This study used the meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of caffeine ingestion on exercise testing. Forty double-blind studies with 76 effect sizes (ES) met the inclusion criteria. The type of exercise test was classified as endurance, graded, or short-term. In comparison with placebo, caffeine improved test outcome by 12.3 % (95 % CI, 9.1 to 15.4), which was equivalent to an overall ES of 0.41 (95 % CI, 0.31 to 0.51). Endurance exercise significantly improved test outcome (P < 0.05) more than either graded or short-term exercise. When exercise protocol was examined, time-to-exhaustion (Tlim) protocols had a significantly greater (P < 0.05) ES than either the graded or the non-Tlim protocol(s). The results from this meta-analysis confirm the ergogenic effects of caffeine, particularly for endurance testing that use Tlim protocols.

Adult↗

Factors influencing estimated oxygen uptake during exercise testing soon after myocardial infarction.

To determine the extent to which oxygen uptake (VO2) estimated from exercise testing in healthy adults is applicable to patients tested soon after myocardial infarction, VO2 was measured during symptom-limited treadmill testing 3 and 11 weeks after the acute event. Twenty-two men (Group I) underwent treadmill testing using a "standard" modified Balke protocol (3 miles/h [80 m/min] with 2.5 percent increments in grade every 3 minutes) 3 and 11 weeks after infarction. Twenty-five clinically similar men (Group II) underwent treadmill testing using a standard protocol at 3 weeks but an "accelerated" protocol (3 miles/h with 5 percent increments in grade every 3 minutes) at 11 weeks. Measured and estimated values of peak VO2 were nearly identical for both groups of patients performing the standard protocol at 2 weeks (mean +/- standard deviation 20.5 +/- 4.7 versus 20.4 +/- 6.1 and 22.1 +/0 4.1 versus 22.5 +/- 4.5 ml/kg per min for Groups I and II, respectively). Measured and estimated values of peak VO2 were also similar for patients completing the standard protocol at 11 weeks (26.3 +/- 7.6 versus 26.7 +/- 6.9 ml/kg per min). In contrast, estimated values of peak VO2 were significantly higher than measured values in patients completing the accelerated protocol at 11 weeks (30.8 +/- 4.3 versus 27.7 +/- 5.0 ml/kg per min (probability [p] = 0.001). Holding onto the treadmill handrails significantly increased estimated peak VO2 (32.7 to 37.9 ml/kg per min) but did not affect measured peak VO2 (32.1 to 31.8 ml/kg per min). These results indicate that VO2 for patients performing treadmill exercise testing after myocardial infarction can be estimated from data derived from healthy adults so long as the exercise intensity is increased slowly and holding onto the handrails is avoided.

Aged↗

[Usefulness of exercise tests in the evaluation of the effects of treatment in chronic cardiac insufficiency].

Before it reaches the decompensation stage, heart failure is characterized by symptoms which occur only during exercise. It is therefore rational to believe that the effectiveness of treatments of heart failure should be evaluated by the improvement they produce in tolerance to stress. This tolerance can be evaluated by exercise tests which may take different forms. The most common is a progressive load test on bicycle ergometer or treadmill. Among the indices used to assess tolerance to stress, the total duration of the exercise test until symptoms develop is a variable subject to fluctuations which may be independent of the patient's cardiovascular state. Measurement of oxygen consumption at peak exercise level is usually preferred, being unrelated to the nature of the stress and much more reproducible and sensitive to changes. Among the pharmacological treatments of heart failure, only chronic vasodilator therapy, notably with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, has proved constantly effective on the various ergometric indices. In the literature, the effects of digitalis compounds, dihydralazine and alpha-blockers are inconstant. Among the new treatments of heart failure, phosphodiesterase inhibitors may improve tolerance to stress, as does Corwin which may prolong the total duration of exercise. Its effect on oxygen consumption has not yet been evaluated. Performance at exercise is almost never improved by acute treatment with any pharmacological agent, and the same remarks applies to short-term heart transplantation. The reason for this is that heart failure is associated with a physical deconditioning syndrome due to abnormalities of the arterial dilatation capacity in skeletal muscles, and with muscular metabolic abnormalities due to a defective oxygen utilization by these muscles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Digitalis Glycosides↗

Inaccuracy of noninvasive estimates of VD/VT in clinical exercise testing.

To evaluate the accuracy of noninvasive estimates of VD/VT in clinical exercise testing, we compared measurements of standard VD/VT with estimates based either on end-tidal CO2 (VD/VTET) or a published estimate of arterial PCO2 (VD/VTest) at peak exercise in 68 patients. Using regression analysis, we identified highly significant differences (p < 0.001) between each method and VD/VTstand across a broad range of observed VD/VT. Assuming a normal exercise VD/VT < or = 0.30, estimate methods were specific but were insensitive (50 percent for VD/VTET and 57 percent for VD/VTest) for identifying patients with abnormal gas exchange during exercise. Separate analysis of subgroups based on resting pulmonary function did not identify any group for which either method was acceptable. Our analysis showed that errors in estimating PaCO2, which are amplified by the Bohr equation when calculating VD/VT, are responsible for the inaccuracies of each noninvasive method. We conclude that noninvasive estimates of PaCO2 cannot replace measured arterial PCO2 for calculation of VD/VT during exercise.

Adult↗