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Does the Incremental Shuttle Walking Test require maximal effort in healthy subjects of different ages?
Cristiane Golias Gonçalves1, Rafael Mesquita1, Daniela Hayashi1
1Centro de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde (CPCS), Universidade Norte do Paraná (UNOPAR), Londrina, Paraná, Brazil; Pós-graduação em Ciências da Reabilitação (Programa associado Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL) - Universidade Norte do Paraná (UNOPAR)), Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
Objective:
To evaluate if the Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT) requires maximal effort in healthy subjects of different ages.
Design:
Cross-sectional.
Setting:
University-based research laboratory.
Participants:
331 healthy subjects separated into six groups according to age: G1, 18 to 28 years; G2, 29 to 39 years; G3, 40 to 50 years; G4, 51 to 61 years; G5, 62 to 72 years and; G6, 73 to 83 years.
Main Outcome Measures:
Two ISWTs were performed and participants were permitted to run and to exceed 12 levels during the test, if necessary. Heart rate (HR) and symptoms of dyspnoea and fatigue were recorded before and after the test, and the percentage of age-predicted maximal HR (HRmax) was calculated. Maximal effort was defined as HRmax >90% of age-predicted HRmax.
Results:
Almost 31% of the subjects exceeded 12 levels in the ISWT. At the end of the test, all groups presented a median [interquartile range] HR greater than 90% of HRmax (G1: 100 [95 to 104]; G2: 100 [96 to 105]; G3: 103 [97 to 108]; G4: 99 [91 to 106]; G5: 96 [87 to 106] and G6: 96 [91 to 109]% HRmax). Regarding symptoms, all groups showed higher values after the test (P<0.05). A multiple logistic regression analysis identified female gender, older age and a lower HR before the test as determinants of not achieving 90% of HRmax at the end of the test.
Conclusions:
The ISWT requires maximal effort in healthy individuals, but for that it is necessary to extend the test beyond twelve levels. Female gender, older age and lower heart rate before the test are the determinants of not reaching maximal effort.
