Ramp-CPET in older adults: Effects of prior priming exercise on peak power and maximal O2 uptake.

The maximal rate of oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) is the cornerstone of aerobic testing. Obtaining an accurate measure of V̇O2max is complicated, particularly in older individuals in whom ramp-exercise performance may be curtailed prematurely by factors unrelated to the maximal capacity of muscle to utilize O2. This study evaluates whether a prior heavy-intensity priming exercise facilitates the achievement of a greater peak power output (POpeak) and end-ramp V̇O2 in older adults.

Methods

Twelve healthy older adults (five females; age: 65 ± 6 years) performed two cycling ramp-CPETs (15-20 W·min-1). In a counterbalanced order, one of these tests was preceded by a 6-minute bout of heavy-intensity priming exercise. The mean response time (MRT) and total area under the curve of the ramp-V̇O2 (AUCV̇O₂) were calculated to evaluate changes in V̇O2 kinetics.

Results

Following priming exercise (PO = 117 ± 40 W), participants achieved a greater POpeak and a higher end-ramp V̇O2. Specifically, POpeak was 212 ± 53 W and 218 ± 54 W in the control and primed R-CPET conditions, respectively (P = 0.039). End-ramp V̇O2 was 2.72 ± 0.75 L·min-1 and 2.83 ± 0.75 L·min-1 in the control and primed R-CPET conditions (P = 0.003), respectively. The MRT was lower (P = 0.013) while the AUCV̇O₂ (P = 0.011) was greater in the primed condition compared to the control condition (57 ± 14 vs 44 ± 10 s; 19.0 ± 8.2 vs 20.1 ± 9.0 L).

Conclusions

In older adults, preceding the ramp-CPET with a heavy-intensity bout of priming exercise facilitates the achievement of a higher POpeak and end-ramp V̇O2. These findings offer preliminary support to the inclusion of priming exercise into routine R-CPET protocols in older adults.