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.
Highlights
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) or peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) is commonly used for the evaluation of physical fitness and for exercise prescription [1,2,3]
Absolute VO2peak obtained from the robotics-assisted tilt table (RATT) was on average 19.0% lower than the cycle ergometer and 29.2% lower than on the treadmill
HRpeak obtained on the RATT was on average 6.0% lower than the cycle ergometer and 8.6% lower than on the treadmill
Summary
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) or peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) is commonly used for the evaluation of physical fitness and for exercise prescription [1,2,3]. Comparison of Peak Cardiopulmonary Parameters devices are treadmills and cycle ergometers. The VO2max achieved from cycle ergometry has been observed to be 6–23% lower than from a treadmill [4,5,6]. There are some limitations to the use of standard devices in neurological patients who have weakness or coordination problem caused by stroke, multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury [1]. The alternative recommended devices for these patients are a semi-recumbent cycle ergometer or a total body stepper [1], but severely affected patients have limitations that preclude them from using even these devices
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