Observational study reveals submaximal fitness measures improve classification of left ventricular size in heart failure, suggesting practical use when peak testing is unfeasible.
Key Points
Evaluate the relationship between left ventricular end-diastolic volume and submaximal fitness measures.
Participants included 1067 health-survey individuals, 39 recreational athletes, and 53 heart failure patients.
Transthoracic echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing were performed.
Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analyzed associations between LVEDV and fitness measures.
VO2VT and VO2COP showed better correlation with LVEDV than indexing to body surface area.
Indexing LVEDV to submaximal measures identified more heart failure cases than BSA, reducing misclassification.
Submaximal measures are comparable to VO2peak in distinguishing left ventricular enlargement.