Validity of submaximal exercise testing in adults with athetospastic cerebral palsy.

Abstract

To examine the validity of the multistage submaximal cycle ergometer test for adults with athetospastic cerebral palsy. Cross-sectional and correlative study. Oxygen uptake and heart rates were recorded while the participants underwent the maximal cycle ergometer test and the multistage submaximal cycle ergometer test. Peak oxygen consumption (Vo(2)peak) was achieved by the maximal cycle test. Maximum oxygen consumption (VO(2)max) was predicted by the multistage submaximal cycle ergometer test. Research laboratory setting. Adults with athetospastic cerebral palsy (N=16; 10 women and 6 men; mean age ± SD, 43.7±14.5y). Not applicable. Peak VO(2) was compared with the predicted VO(2)max. Mean VO(2)peak and the predicted VO(2)max ± SD were 866.9±202.9 mL/min(-1) and 857.4±248.4 mL/min(-1), respectively. There was not a significant difference between VO(2)peak values and the predicted VO(2)max values (r=.28). And there was a significant correlation between VO(2)peak values and the predicted VO(2)max values (r=.94, P<.001). SE of the estimate (or SE for X to Y) was 71.2 mL/min(-1), equivalent to 7.4%. The multistage submaximal cycle ergometer test may provide a valid VO(2)max estimate of adults with athetospastic cerebral palsy.