Tag: VO2max

Reproducibility of Measurements Obtained During Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Individuals With Fatiguing Health Conditions – A Case Series

Abstract:

Purpose: Measurements obtained during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) demonstrate high test–retest reliability, which indicates low error variance. However, measurements obtained from people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may depart from typically observed high reproducibility, which could represent functionally relevant biological variability that is characteristic of the underlying pathophysiology. The purpose of this case series was to document individual experiences with test–retest variability in CPET measurements in individuals with ME/CFS compared with other fatiguing health conditions.

Methods: In this case series, 6 women matched for age and body mass index underwent 2 maximal CPETs spaced 24 hours apart. Clients comprised 1 sedentary individual without fatigue, 1 active individual without fatigue, 1 individual with multiple sclerosis (MS), 1 individual diagnosed with HIV, 1 individual with ME/CFS and low maximal volume of oxygen consumed (VO2max), and 1 high-functioning individual with ME/CFS and high VO2max. Percent change in CPET measurements between tests was calculated for each client.

Results: Nondisabled clients and clients with MS and HIV reproduced or improved in their volume of oxygen consumed (VO2), workload (WL), heart rate (HR), and minute ventilation (VE) at ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) and at peak exercise (except peak WL and VE for the individual with HIV). Neither individual with ME/CFS reproduced VO2, WL, HR, or VE at VAT within literature estimates.

Conclusions: Measurements during CPET for individual patients may relate to potential condition-specific deficits in cardiac, pulmonary, and metabolic functioning.

Source: Larson, Benjamin PT, DPT1; Davenport, Todd E. PT, DPT, MPH, OCS2,3; Stevens, Staci R. MA3; Stevens, Jared BS3; Van Ness, J. Mark PhD3,4; Snell, Christopher R. PhD3. Reproducibility of Measurements Obtained During Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Individuals With Fatiguing Health Conditions: A Case Series. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal: October 2019 – Volume 30 – Issue 4 – p 145-152 doi: 10.1097/CPT.0000000000000100 https://journals.lww.com/cptj/Abstract/2019/10000/Reproducibility_of_Measurements_Obtained_D%20uring.4.aspx

Validity of 2-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Male Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract:

Introduction: Among the main characteristics of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are effort intolerance along with a prolonged recovery from exercise and post-exertional exacerbation of ME/CFS symptoms. The gold standard for measuring the severity of physical activity intolerance is cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Multiple studies have shown that peak oxygen consumption is reduced in the majority of ME/CFS patients. A consecutive day CPET protocol has shown a difference on day 2 in ME/CFS patients in contrast to sedentary controls. Because of the low number of male ME/CFS patients in the published literature, and because of a possible gender difference in the clinical phenotype, the aim of this study was to examine whether the response to a 2-day CPET protocol in a larger sample of male ME/CFS patients was similar to that observed in females.

Methods: From 77 male patients, 25 male ME/CFS patients fulfilled the criteria of a 2-day CPET protocol for analysis. Measures of oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, workload (Work), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were made at maximal (peak) and ventilatory threshold (VT) intensities. Data were analysed using a paired t-test.

Results: Baseline characteristics of the group were as follows. Mean age was 44 (12) years, mean BMI was 27.1 (4.4) kg/m2. Median disease duration was 10 years (IQR 7 – 13). Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure at rest and the RER did not differ significantly between CPET 1 and CPET 2. All other CPET parameters at the ventilatory threshold and maximum exercise differed significantly (p-value between <0.005 and <0.0001). All patients experienced a deterioration of performance on CPET2 as measured by the predicted and actual VO2 and workload at peak exercise and ventilatory threshold.

Conclusion: This study confirms that male ME/CFS patients have a reduction in exercise capacity in response to a consecutive day CPET. These results are similar to published results in female ME/CFS populations.

Source:

 

Comparison of the Degree of Deconditioning in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Patients with and without Orthostatic Intolerance

Abstract:

Background: Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a core finding in individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis /chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Deconditioning is often proposed as an important determinant for OI. Deconditioning can be objectively classified using the predicted peak oxygen consumption (%VO2 peak) values as derived from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and OI can be objectively quantified using cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes during tilt testing. Therefore, if deconditioning contributes to OI, a correlation between peak VO2 and the %CBF reduction is expected.

Methods and results: 18 healthy controls (HC) and 122 ME/CFS patients without hypotension or tachycardia on tilt testing were studied. Deconditioning was classified as follows: %VO2 peak ≥85%= no deconditioning, %VO2 peak 65-85%= mild deconditioning, %VO2 peak<65%= severe deconditioning. HC had higher %VO2 peak compared to ME/CFS patients (p<0.0001). ME/CFS patients had significantly larger CBF reduction than HC (p<0.0001). No relation between the degree of deconditioning by the %VO2 peak and the %CBF reduction in ME/CFS patients was found. Moreover, we separately analyzed ME/CFS patients without an abnormal CBF reduction. Despite equal CBF reductions compared to HC and large differences between these patients and the patients with an abnormal CBF reduction, cardiac index (CI) changes (measured by suprasternal Doppler) were significantly less compared to ME/CFS patients with an abnormal CBF reduction (p<0.0001) but larger than in HC (p=0.004). Despite these different hemodynamic findings, %VO2 values were not different between the two patient groups, argumenting again against the causative role of hemodynamic abnormalities in deconditioning.

Conclusion: In ME/CFS patients without hypotension or tachycardia there is no relation between the %VO2 peak during CPET and the %CBF and %CI reduction during tilt testing, whether or not patients have an abnormal CBF reduction during tilt testing. It suggests again that deconditioning does not play an important role in OI.

Source: VAN CAMPEN, C (Linda) M.C.; VISSER, Frans C.. Comparison of the Degree of Deconditioning in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Patients with and without Orthostatic Intolerance. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 10, n. 6, june 2022. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/2858>. Date accessed: 17 july 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v10i6.2858.

Neurovascular Dysregulation and Acute Exercise Intolerance in ME/CFS: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Pyridostigmine

Abstract:

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is characterized by intractable fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and orthostatic intolerance, but its pathophysiology is poorly understood. Pharmacologic cholinergic stimulation was used to test the hypothesis that neurovascular dysregulation underlies exercise intolerance in ME/CFS.

Research Question: Does neurovascular dysregulation contribute to exercise intolerance in ME/CFS and can its treatment improve exercise capacity?

Methods: Forty-five subjects with ME/CFS were enrolled in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a 60 mg dose of oral pyridostigmine or placebo after an invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test (iCPET). A second iCPET was performed 50 minutes later. The primary end point was the difference in peak exercise oxygen uptake (VO2). Secondary end points included exercise pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics and gas exchange.

Results: Twenty-three subjects were assigned to pyridostigmine and 22 to placebo. The peak VO2 increased after pyridostigmine but decreased after placebo (13.3 ± 13.4 mL/min vs. -40.2 ± 21.3 mL/min, P<0.05). The treatment effect of pyridostigmine was 53.6 mL/min (95% CI, -105.2 to -2.0). Peak versus rest VO2 (25.9 ± 15.3 mL/min vs. -60.8 ± 25.6 mL/min, P<0.01), cardiac output (-0.2 ± 0.6 L/min vs. -1.9 ± 0.6 L/min, P<0.05), and RAP (1.0 ± 0.5 mm Hg vs. -0.6 ± 0.5 mm Hg, P<0.05) were greater in the pyridostigmine group compared to placebo.

Interpretation: Pyridostigmine improves peak VO2 in ME/CFS by increasing cardiac output and right ventricular filling pressures. Worsening peak exercise VO2, Qc, and RAP after placebo may signal the onset of post-exertional malaise. We suggest treatable neurovascular dysregulation underlies acute exercise intolerance in ME/CFS.

Abbreviations List: Ca-vO2 (arterial-venous oxygen content difference), iCPET (Invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test), MAP (Mean arterial pressure), mPAP (Mean pulmonary artery pressure), ME/CFS (Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome), PASC (Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection), PAWP (Pulmonary arterial wedge pressure), POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), Qc (Cardiac output), RAP (Right atrial pressure), SE (Standard error), SFN (Small fiber neuropathy), VE/VCO2 (Ventilatory efficiency), VO2 (Oxygen uptake)

Source: Phillip Joseph, MD, Rosa Pari, MD, Sarah Miller, BS, Arabella Warren, BS, Mary Catherine Stovall, BS, Johanna Squires, MSc, Chia-Jung Chang, PhD, Wenzhong Xiao, PhD, Aaron B. Waxman, MD, PhD, David M. Systrom, MD. Neurovascular Dysregulation and Acute Exercise Intolerance in ME/CFS: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Pyridostigmine. Chest, Published: May 05, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2022.04.146

Acute effect of pyridostigmine in exertional intolerance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

Rationale: One third of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have evidence of small fiber neuropathy (SFN). Neurovascular dysregulation during upright exercise may be associated with impaired venoconstriction resulting in low biventricular filling pressures and impaired arteriolar constriction resulting in a mismatch between perfusion and skeletal muscle metabolism. We hypothesize that pyridostigmine, a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, may improve vascular regulation and exercise tolerance in ME/CFS by increasing sympathetic outflow.

Methods: 45 subjects (39 women, 6 men) with ME/CFS were assessed. A baseline invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test (iCPET) was performed to confirm presence of low peak exercise RAP (<6.5mmHg). Eligible subjects were blindly administered placebo (n=22) or 60mg pyridostigmine (n=23) at a 1:1 ratio. A second iCPET was performed following a 50 minute combined rest and dosing period. Serial iCPET results were compared to assess changes in oxygen uptake at peak exercise (VO2 max). Secondary outcomes included subject ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2), peak hemodynamic response (RAP, PCWP, SV, Qt), systemic gas exchange (Ca-vO2/Hgb), and subjective reporting of dyspnea and fatigue. Results: 39 subjects (all women) were considered in data analysis. There was a significant increase in VO2 max between iCPET 1 and iCPET 2 in the treatment group when compared with the placebo group (p = 0.043).

There was a significant decrease in the placebo group and a significant increase in the treatment group in VO2 (p = 0.008), Qt (p = 0.039), and RAP (p = 0.045) when comparing iCPET 1 peak – rest and iCPET 2 peak – rest between groups. There were no significant differences in peak arteriovenous oxygen content difference (Ca-vO2/Hgb). 38% of subjects had objective evidence of SFN with no statistically significant difference between groups.

Conclusion: Using pyridostigmine as an investigative tool, this study suggests that neurovascular dysregulation underlies acute exercise intolerance in ME/CFS. Additionally, we have new evidence that worsening vascular dysregulation results from prior exercise, which sheds insight into the post exertional malaise that is a hallmark of this syndrome.

Source: M. Stovall, P. Joseph, R. Pari, A. Warren, S. Miller, J. Squires, W. Xiao, A.B. Waxman, D.M. Systrom. Acute effect of pyridostigmine in exertional intolerance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. American Journal of Respiratory and Clinical Care Medicine, Vol 205, p A2063, May 2022. https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2022.205.1_MeetingAbstracts.A2063

Two-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Females With a Severe Grade of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison With Patients With Mild and Moderate Disease

Abstract:

Introduction: Effort intolerance along with a prolonged recovery from exercise and post-exertional exacerbation of symptoms are characteristic features of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The gold standard to measure the degree of physical activity intolerance is cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Multiple studies have shown that peak oxygen consumption is reduced in the majority of ME/CFS patients, and that a 2-day CPET protocol further discriminates between ME/CFS patients and sedentary controls. Limited information is present on ME/CFS patients with a severe form of the disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a 2-day CPET protocol in female ME/CFS patients with a severe grade of the disease to mildly and moderately affected ME/CFS patients.

Methods and results: We studied 82 female patients who had undergone a 2-day CPET protocol. Measures of oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR) and workload both at peak exercise and at the ventilatory threshold (VT) were collected. ME/CFS disease severity was graded according to the International Consensus Criteria. Thirty-one patients were clinically graded as having mild disease, 31 with moderate and 20 with severe disease. Baseline characteristics did not differ between the 3 groups. Within each severity group, all analyzed CPET parameters (peak VO2, VO2 at VT, peak workload and the workload at VT) decreased significantly from day-1 to day-2 (p-Value between 0.003 and <0.0001). The magnitude of the change in CPET parameters from day-1 to day-2 was similar between mild, moderate, and severe groups, except for the difference in peak workload between mild and severe patients (p = 0.019). The peak workload decreases from day-1 to day-2 was largest in the severe ME/CFS group (-19 (11) %).

Conclusion: This relatively large 2-day CPET protocol study confirms previous findings of the reduction of various exercise variables in ME/CFS patients on day-2 testing. This is the first study to demonstrate that disease severity negatively influences exercise capacity in female ME/CFS patients. Finally, this study shows that the deterioration in peak workload from day-1 to day-2 is largest in the severe ME/CFS patient group.

Source: van Campen CLM, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Two-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Females with a Severe Grade of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison with Patients with Mild and Moderate Disease. Healthcare (Basel). 2020;8(3):E192. Published 2020 Jun 30. doi:10.3390/healthcare8030192 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32629923/

Physical Activity Measures in Patients With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Correlations Between Peak Oxygen Consumption, the Physical Functioning Scale of the SF-36 Questionnaire, and the Number of Steps From an Activity Meter

Abstract:

Background: Most studies to assess effort intolerance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have used questionnaires. Few studies have compared questionnaires with objective measures like an actometer or an exercise test. This study compared three measures of physical activity in ME/CFS patients: the physical functioning scale (PFS) of the SF-36, the number of steps/day (Steps) using an actometer, and the %peak VO2 of a cardiopulmonary stress test.

Methods: Female ME/CFS patients were selected from a clinical database if the three types of measurements were available, and the interval between measurements was ≤ 3 months. Data from the three measures were compared by linear regression.

Results: In 99 female patients the three different measures were linearly, significantly, and positively correlated (PFS vs Steps, PFS vs %peak VO2 and Steps vs %peak VO2: all P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the relations between the three measures were not different in patients with versus without fibromyalgia and with versus without a maximal exercise effort (RER ≥ 1.1). In 20 patients re-evaluated for symptom worsening, the mean of all three measures was significantly lower (P < 0.0001), strengthening the observation of the relations between them. Despite the close correlation, we observed a large variation between the three measures in individual patients.

Conclusions: Given the large variation in ME/CFS patients, the use of only one type of measurement is inadequate. Integrating the three modalities may be useful for patient care by detecting overt discrepancies in activity and may inform studies that compare methods of improving exercise capacity.

Source: van Campen CMC, Rowe PC, Verheugt FWA, Visser FC. Physical activity measures in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: correlations between peak oxygen consumption, the physical functioning scale of the SF-36 questionnaire, and the number of steps from an activity meter. J Transl Med. 2020;18(1):228. Published 2020 Jun 8. doi:10.1186/s12967-020-02397-7 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32513266/

Peak Oxygen Uptake in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract:

To evaluate the magnitude of the difference in VO2peak between patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and apparently healthy controls, 7 databases (Cochrane, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, Embase, Scopus, Medline) were searched for articles published up to March 2018. Search terms included “chronic fatigue syndrom*”AND (“peak” OR “maxim*” OR “max”) AND (“oxygen uptake” OR “oxygen consumption” OR “VO2peak” or “VO2max”.

Eligibility criteria were adults>18 y with clinically diagnosed CFS/ME, with VO2peak measured in a maximal test and compared against an apparently healthy control group. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using a modified Systematic Appraisal of Quality for Observational Research critical appraisal framework. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted on 32 cross-sectional studies (effects).

Pooled mean VO2peak was 5.2 (95% CI: 3.8-6.6) ml.kg-1min-1 lower in CFS/ME patients vs. healthy controls. Between-study variability (Tau) was 3.4 (1.5-4.5) ml.kg-1min-1 indicating substantial heterogeneity. The 95% prediction interval was -1.9 to 12.2 ml.kg-1min-1. The probability that the effect in a future study would be>the minimum clinically important difference of 1.1 ml.kg-1min-1 (in favour of controls) was 0.88 – likely to be clinically relevant. Synthesis of the available evidence indicates that CFS/ME patients have a substantially reduced VO2peak compared to controls.

Source: Franklin JD, Atkinson 1, Atkinson JM, Batterham AM. Peak Oxygen Uptake in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Meta-Analysis. Int J Sports Med. 2018 Dec 17. doi: 10.1055/a-0802-9175. [Epub ahead of print] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30557887

Inability of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients to reproduce VO₂peak indicates functional impairment

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a multi-system illness characterized, in part, by increased fatigue following minimal exertion, cognitive impairment, poor recovery to physical and other stressors, in addition to other symptoms. Unlike healthy subjects and other diseased populations who reproduce objective physiological measures during repeat cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPETs), ME/CFS patients have been reported to fail to reproduce results in a second CPET performed one day after an initial CPET. If confirmed, a disparity between a first and second CPET could serve to identify individuals with ME/CFS, would be able to document their extent of disability, and could also provide a physiological basis for prescribing physical activity as well as a metric of functional impairment.

METHODS: 22 subjects diagnosed with ME/CFS completed two repeat CPETs separated by 24 h. Measures of oxygen consumption (VO₂), heart rate (HR), minute ventilation (Ve), workload (Work), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were made at maximal (peak) and ventilatory threshold (VT) intensities. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Wilcoxon’s Signed-Rank Test (for RER).

RESULTS: ME/CFS patients showed significant decreases from CPET1 to CPET2 in VO₂peak (13.8%), HRpeak (9 bpm), Ve peak (14.7%), and Work@peak (12.5%). Decreases in VT measures included VO₂@VT (15.8%), Ve@VT (7.4%), and Work@VT (21.3%). Peak RER was high (≥1.1) and did not differ between tests, indicating maximum effort by participants during both CPETs. If data from only a single CPET test is used, a standard classification of functional impairment based on VO₂peak or VO₂@VT results in over-estimation of functional ability for 50% of ME/CFS participants in this study.

CONCLUSION: ME/CFS participants were unable to reproduce most physiological measures at both maximal and ventilatory threshold intensities during a CPET performed 24 hours after a prior maximal exercise test. Our work confirms that repeated CPETs warrant consideration as a clinical indicator for diagnosing ME/CFS. Furthermore, if based on only one CPET, functional impairment classification will be mis-identified in many ME/CFS participants.

 

Source: Keller BA, Pryor JL, Giloteaux L. Inability of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients to reproduce VO₂peak indicates functional impairment. J Transl Med. 2014 Apr 23;12:104. doi: 10.1186/1479-5876-12-104. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4004422/ (Full article)

 

Exploratory analysis of the relationships between aerobic capacity and self-reported fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, polymyositis, and chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To determine if self-reported levels of physical activity and fatigue are related to peak oxygen uptake (VO(2peak)) and whether these relationships differ among the patient groups (rheumatoid arthritis [RA], polymyositis [PM], and chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS]).

DESIGN: Correlational investigation.

SETTING: Two ambulatory research clinics at the National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD.

PARTICIPANTS: There were 9 patients with PM, 10 with RA, and 10 with CFS. All patients met case criteria for their respective diagnoses. METHODS/MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: VO(2peak) during bicycle ergometry and self-reported fatigability, fatigue, and physical activity. VO(2peak) was used as the criterion measurement of physiological fatigue with which the self-reported variables were compared.

RESULTS: The Pearson r revealed that self-reported physical activity correlated with VO(2peak) (r = 61, P = .01). However, fatigability and fatigue did not correlate with VO(2peak). Linear regression analysis was performed to assess the effects of diagnosis group, self-reported activity level or fatigue, and their interaction. A trend in the data showed a distinctive relationship between fatigue/fatigability within the 3 groups. In addition, when controlling for group status, self-reported activity predicted aerobic capacity as measured by VO(2peak).

CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that patients with chronic, but stable RA, PM, or CFS are fatigued and have significantly decreased aerobic capacity. Self-reports of physical activity predicted VO(2peak), and may be used as an indicator of activity-based aerobic capacity. Self-reports of fatigue, however, did not correlate with VO(2peak) and hence are assessing something other than an index of aerobic capacity, and provide additional information about patients’ perceptions, which will require further investigation.

 

Source: Weinstein AA, Drinkard BM, Diao G, Furst G, Dale JK, Straus SE, Gerber LH. Exploratory analysis of the relationships between aerobic capacity and self-reported fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, polymyositis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. PM R. 2009 Jul;1(7):620-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2009.04.007. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19627955