Table 3.

Characteristics of studies included in the meta-analysis of the VE/VCO₂ slope

Author	Years	N	Enrollment	Follow-up (m)	Test mode	Threshold	End point	Event rate (%)	Study quality (%)
Chua et al.	1997	166	1993–1994	25.3	TM	34	D/CT	23	64
Davies et al.	2006	243	1992–1996	108	TM	36.5	D	57	64
Dimopoulos et al.	2006	478	2001–2004	20.4	TM	38	D	5.2	78.6
Ferreira et al.	2010	663	1999–2006	36	CE & TM	43	D/CT	28.9	64
Francis et al.	2000	303	1992–1996	24	TM	40	D	30	64
Guimaraes et al.	2008	391	1999–2004	28	TM	34	CD/CT	53.7	71
Ingle et al.	2011	423	NR	12	TM	34	D	28	71
Mejhert et al.	2002	67	1996–1999	30.8	CE	45	D	20.9	86
Myers et al.	2009	847	1993–2007	36	CE & TM	34	D/CT	17	78.6
Nanas et al.	2006	98	NR	20	TM	34	D	27.5	64
Pascual et al.	2008	80	2003–2004	32.4	TM	35	D/CT/CH	24	78.6
Ponikowski et al.	2001	123	1993–1997	49	TM	34	D	28	71
Robbins et al.	1999	470	NR	18	TM	44.7	D/CT	15.1	64
Sarullo et al.	2010	184	2006–2007	12	CE	35.6	D/C CH	51	78.6
Sun et al.	2010	508	NR	6	CE & TM	40	D/C CH	25	86
Median		303		25.3		35.6		27.5	71

NR not reported, CE cycle ergometer, TM treadmill, D death, CD cardiac death, CT cardiac transplantation, CH cardiac hospitalization