Transferability of Cardiopulmonary Parameters between Treadmill and Cycle Ergometer Testing in Male Triathletes—Prediction Formulae

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) on a treadmill (TE) or cycle ergometry (CE) is a common method in sports diagnostics to assess athletes’ aerobic fitness and prescribe training. In a triathlon, the gold standard is performing both CE and TE CPET. The purpose of this research was to create models using CPET results from one modality to predict results for the other modality. A total of 152 male triathletes (age = 38.20 ± 9.53 year.; BMI = 23.97 ± 2.10 kg·m−2) underwent CPET on TE and CE, preceded by body composition (BC) analysis. Speed, power, heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), ventilation (VE), respiratory frequency (fR), blood lactate concentration (LA) (at the anaerobic threshold (AT)), respiratory compensation point (RCP), and maximum exertion were measured. Random forests (RF) were used to find the variables with the highest importance, which were selected for multiple linear regression (MLR) models. Based on R2 and RF variable selection, MLR equations in full, simplified, and the most simplified forms were created for VO2AT, HRAT, VO2RCP, HRRCP, VO2max, and HRmax for CE (R2 = 0.46−0.78) and TE (R2 = 0.59−0.80). By inputting only HR and power/speed into the RF, MLR models for practical HR calculation on TE and CE (both R2 = 0.41−0.75) were created. BC had a significant impact on the majority of CPET parameters. CPET parameters can be accurately predicted between CE and TE testing. Maximal parameters are more predictable than submaximal. Only HR and speed/power from one testing modality could be used to predict HR for another. Created equations, combined with BC analysis, could be used as a method of choice in comprehensive sports diagnostics.

External validation of VO2max prediction models based on recreational and elite endurance athletes

“…The gold standard to measure VO 2max is performing a CPET [ 27 ]. VO 2max is reached when the subject meets the physiological limit and maintains it for some time (usually 15-s, 30-s, or 60-s) [ 28 ].…”

“…VO 2max is reached when the subject meets the physiological limit and maintains it for some time (usually 15-s, 30-s, or 60-s) [ 28 ]. Due to practical reasons, such as high costs of the procedure or a lack of testing devices as well as health contraindications, this form of measuring is often not possible to apply in a sports setting [ 27 ].…”

COVID-19 and athletes: Endurance sport and activity resilience study—CAESAR study

“…Likewise, no deterioration of CPET performance was observed in elite swimmers from National Swim Team Hungary after a mild COVID-19 infection (Csulak et al, 2021). It is worth noting that physical performance declined with age to various degrees between participants, but age was also one of the contributing factors (Wiecha et al, 2022). So far, it has been postulated that training experience may reduce the decline in HR and VO 2 observed with age (Tanaka and Matsuura, 1984;Kaminsky et al, 2015).…”

Cardiorespiratory Coordination in Collegiate Rowing: A Network Approach to Cardiorespiratory Exercise Testing

“…Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and the related concept of maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2max ) is considered as the most important indicator of endurance capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and health in sports science [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. It measures a variety of variables (i.e., ventilation, VE; heart rate, HR; oxygen saturation, SpO 2 ; ventilatory threshold, VT; expired fraction of oxygen, FeO 2 ; expired fraction of carbon dioxide, FeCO 2 ) linked to metabolic, cardiovascular and pulmonary responses during the CPET [ 7 , 9 ].…”