Table 3. Reference parameters for clinical interpretation of cardiopulmonary exercise testing derived from healthy sedentary subjects.
| Parameter | Age, years | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | |||||
| Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| Metabolic | ||||||||
| Peak ⩒O2 (% predicted) | ˃ 83 | > 83 | ˃ 83 | > 83 | ˃ 83 | > 83 | ˃ 83 | > 83 |
| ∆⩒O2/∆WR (mL/min/W) | ˃ 9.0 | > 8.5 | ˃ 9.0 | > 8.5 | ˃ 9.0 | > 8.5 | ˃ 9.0 | > 8.5 |
| ⩒O2 at LT (peak ⩒O2 % predicted) | ˃ 35 | > 40 | ˃ 40 | > 40 | ˃ 45 | > 50 | ˃ 55 | > 60 |
| Cardiovascular | ||||||||
| Peak HR (bpm) | ˃175 | > 170 | ˃ 160 | > 155 | ˃ 150 | > 145 | ˃ 130 | > 125 |
| O2 pulse (mL/min/beat) | ˃ 12 | > 10 | ˃ 10 | > 8 | ˃ 9 | > 7 | ˃ 7 | > 6 |
| ∆HR/∆⩒O2 (beat/L/min) | ˂ 60 | < 85 | ˂ 70 | < 90 | ˂ 80 | < 100 | ˂ 90 | < 105 |
| Ventilatory/gas exchange | ||||||||
| Peak ⩒E /MVV | ˂ 0.80 | < 0.75 | ˂ 0.80 | < 0.75 | ˂ 0.80 | < 0.75 | ˂ 0.80 | < 0.75 |
| Peak ⩒E /MVV at LT | ˂ 0.35 | < 0.40 | ˂ 0.40 | < 0.40 | ˂ 0.45 | < 0.45 | ˂ 0.50 | < 0.50 |
| ∆⩒E/∆⩒CO2 | ˂ 26 | < 28 | ˂ 28 | < 30 | ˂ 30 | < 32 | ˂ 32 | < 32 |
| ⩒E/⩒CO2 nadir | ˂ 30 | < 32 | ˂ 32 | < 34 | ˂ 32 | < 34 | ˂ 34 | < 34 |
| Peak f (breaths/min) | ˂ 50 | < 50 | ˂ 50 | < 50 | ˂ 45 | < 50 | ˂ 45 | < 45 |
| Peak f/VT | ˂ 28 | < 30 | ˂ 28 | < 30 | ˂ 28 | < 35 | ˂ 30 | < 40 |
| Peak VT/IC | ˂ 0.70 | ˂ 0.75 | ˂ 0.70 | ˂ 0.75 | ˂ 0.70 | ˂ 0.75 | ˂ 0.70 | ˂ 0.75 |
| PETCO2 at LT (mmHg) | ˃ 43 | > 41 | ˃ 41 | > 40 | ˃ 39 | > 39 | ˃ 37 | > 37 |
| Peak SpO2 (%) | > 93 | > 93 | > 93 | > 93 | > 93 | > 93 | > 93 | > 93 |
| SpO2 rest-peak (%) | < 5 | < 5 | < 5 | < 5 | < 5 | < 5 | < 5 | < 5 |
Reproduced with permission of the European Respiratory Society. 22 ) Peak: at peak exercise; ⩒O2: oxygen uptake; WR: work rate; LT: lactate threshold; ⩒E: minute ventilation; MVV: maximum voluntary ventilation; ⩒CO2: carbon dioxide output; f: breathing frequency; IC: inspiratory capacity; and PETCO2: end-tidal carbon dioxide pressur.