Direct estimation of cardiac reserve through analysis of relation between oxygen consumption and heart rate during...

In order to elucidate fundamental relationship between exercise and cardiac reserve, we investigated the parameters of regression equation (VO2 = A X HR + B) between oxygen consumption (VO2 ml/kg/min) and heart rate (HR) during exercise test (Bruce). 62 male children were divided into 3 groups based on history and clinical evaluation. HR related linearly with VO2 (average r = 0.967, range 0.90-0.993). Both of the parameters A and [B] were significantly high in Athlete (A = 0.465 +/- 0.043, [B] = 36 +/- 6.07), low in Failed (0.297 +/- 0.055, 17.4 +/- 6.1) and middle in Ordinary group (0.366 +/- 0.078, 23.5 +/- 8.6) (p less than 0.005). Based on our result of linear VO2-HR relation, and on the previously reported studies that cardiac output linearly and consistently relates with VO2, we considered the meaning of the parameters as follows; A determines the possible maximum stroke volume (SV), and B determines the HR where SV reaches plateau. In conclusion, since the SV is considered as a measure of cardiac function, measuring the parameters of VO2-HR relation allows us to isolate cardiac functional reserve through the exercise tolerance test.