[Comparison of three exercise tests in a group of patients with chronic broncho-pulmonary disease (author's transl)].

In a group of 26 patients with various broncho-pulmonary diseases, the results of three types of exercise were compared : maximum supported power (PMS), maximum supported power + 20 W, and maximum tolerated power (PMT). The two first ones were made at constant power, the last one at increasing power (by 30 W, during three minutes). The comparison of the results indicates that there was no significant difference between the variables measured during PMT and PMS +20 W (power, oxygen uptake, cardiac frequency, oxygen pulse, ventilation). The changes in oxygen uptake, cardiac frequency, and ventilation, as the power increased, were not significantly different in the three types of exercise. In this group of patients, mean PMT was 121 W, mean PMS was 98 W, and the ratio PMS/PMT was thus 81%. To determine PMT first reduced the number of exercise-tests necessary to measure PMS (two or three tests depending on the patient).