Journal of Sports Sciences · May 24, 2022

Exercise intervention does not reduce the likelihood of VO₂max underestimation in older adults with hypertension

By Schaun GZ, Alberton CL, Brizio Gomes ML et al.

The present study aimed to investigate whether training status would influence the capacity of a verification phase (VER) to confirm maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) of a previous graded exercise test (GXT) in individuals with hypertension. Twelve older adults with hypertension (8 women) were recruited. Using a within-subject design, participants performed a treadmill GXT to exhaustion followed by a multistage VER both before and after a 12-wkcombined exercise training programme. Individual VO₂max, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), maximal heart rate (HRmax), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during both GXT and VER tests. Absolute and relative VO₂max values were higher in VER than in GXT at baseline, but only absolute VO₂max differed between bouts post-intervention (all p < 0.05). Individual VO₂max comparisons revealed that 75% of the participants (9/12) achieved a VO2max value that was ≥3% during VER both before (range: +4.9% to +21%) and after the intervention (range: +3.4% to +18.8%), whereas 91.7% (11/12) of the tests would have been validated as a maximal effort if the classic criteria were employed. A 12-wk combined training intervention could not improve the capacity of older adults with hypertension to achieve VO₂max during a GXT, as assessed by VER.

doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2022.2081403PubMed 35609113Interventions