A Nonexercise Estimate of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Using a Symptom Questionnaire and Clinical Variables

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Preventive Medicine
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a key mortality risk factor.
• CRF is not routinely measured in clinical practice.
• Accurate CRF assessment is crucial for risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a nonexercise method for estimating CRF (eCRF).
• To determine the association between eCRF and all-cause mortality.
• To compare the prognostic ability of eCRF with measured CRF.

Main Methods:

• Developed a multivariate model using the Veterans Specific Activity Questionnaire (VSAQ) and clinical variables.
• Included 1545 clinically referred subjects.
• Used proportional hazards analysis to assess mortality risk.

Main Results:

• The eCRF model strongly correlated with measured CRF (R = 0.67, P < .001).
• eCRF and measured CRF showed similar prognostic performance for mortality.
• Higher eCRF was associated with significantly reduced mortality risk (26% per MET increment).

Conclusions:

• A nonexercise model using a symptom questionnaire and clinical data can effectively estimate CRF.
• This eCRF method demonstrates prognostic capabilities comparable to measured CRF.
• eCRF offers a practical alternative for assessing mortality risk in clinical settings.