Verification testing to confirm VOmax attainment in persons with spinal cord injury.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VOmax) is a widely used measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, aerobic function, and overall health risk. Although VOmax has been measured for almost 100 yr, no standardized criteria exist to verify VOmax attainment. Studies document that incidence of 'true' VOmax obtained from incremental exercise (INC) can be confirmed using a subsequent verification test (VER). In this study, we examined efficacy of VER in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Repeated measures, within-subjects study. University laboratory in San Diego, CA. Ten individuals (age and injury duration = 33.3 ± 10.5 yr and 6.8 ± 6.2 yr) with SCI and 10 able-bodied (AB) individuals (age = 24.1 ± 7.4 yr). Interventions: Peak oxygen uptake (VOpeak) was determined during INC on an arm ergometer followed by VER at 105 percent of peak power output (% PPO). Outcome Measures: Gas exchange data, heart rate (HR), and blood lactate concentration (BLa) were measured during exercise. Across all participants, VOpeak was highly related between protocols (ICC = 0.98) and the mean difference was equal to 0.08 ± 0.11 L/min. Compared to INC, VOpeak from VER was not different in SCI (1.30 ± 0.45 L/min vs. 1.31 ± 0.43 L/min) but higher in AB (1.63 ± 0.40 L/min vs. 1.76 ± 0.40 L/min). Conclusion: Data show similar VOpeak between incremental and verification tests in SCI, suggesting that VER confirms VOmax attainment. However, in AB participants completing arm ergometry, VER is essential to validate appearance of 'true' VOpeak.