Test retest reliability and minimal detectable change of a novel submaximal graded exercise test in the measurement...

Measurement of graded exercise test duration is clinically important and can be assessed by maximal graded exercise testing. Yet, limitations of maximal graded exercise testing exist. An alternative to maximal graded exercise testing is submaximal graded exercise testing. However, no studies have investigated the reliability of a submaximal graded exercise test in the measurement of graded exercise test duration. The purpose of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of a novel submaximal graded exercise test in the measurement of graded exercise test duration. Fifteen people (4 men, 11 women) with a mean age of 26.20 years (SD = 9.04) participated in this study. A novel submaximal graded exercise test was used to measure graded exercise test duration for each participant. Endpoints of the test were either 85% of age-predicted maximum heart rate or voluntarily stopping the test, whichever endpoint occurred first. Heart rate and graded exercise test duration were constantly measured throughout the test. Graded exercise test duration was defined as the total duration (minutes) of the test. For all participants, the submaximal graded exercise test was conducted at baseline and 48-72 hours thereafter. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the test-retest reliability of the test in determining graded exercise test duration was 0.94 (95% CI = 0.83-0.98). The MDC of the test in the measurement of graded exercise test duration was 0.86 minutes. The results suggest that clinicians can use this novel submaximal graded exercise test to reliably measure graded exercise test duration with a measurement error, as expressed by the MDC, of 0.86 minutes.