[Threshold parameters in clinical practice]

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Clinical Diagnostics

Context:

• Incremental exercise testing reveals non-linear relationships between exercise load and oxygen uptake at higher intensities.
• This critical intensity is termed the "anaerobic threshold" and signifies complex physiological events.
• Understanding these events is crucial for accurate performance and health assessments.

Purpose:

• To define and explain the physiological significance of the anaerobic threshold during incremental exercise.
• To highlight the utility of the anaerobic threshold in performance physiology, clinical diagnostics, and cardiac rehabilitation.
• To advocate for the standardization of diagnostic parameters relative to the anaerobic threshold.

Summary:

• The anaerobic threshold is identified as the exercise intensity where oxygen uptake diverges from linearity with increasing load.
• Physiological events such as altered lactic acid metabolism, ventilation changes, and increased sympathoadrenal activity characterize this threshold.
• Parameters like acid-base status, lactic acid levels, and heart rate deflection are key indicators, measurable via spiroergometry.

Impact:

• The anaerobic threshold provides a valid and objective measure for fitness assessment.
• It is instrumental in monitoring the efficacy of medical treatments and rehabilitation programs.
• Standardizing diagnostic parameters to this threshold enhances clinical utility and comparability.