1999 Volume 63 Issue 4 Pages 274-277
The significance of the time from anaerobic threshold to respiratory compensation point (RCP-AT time) in patients with chronic heart failure was investigated. Thirty-seven patients with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association class II or III) were enroled into the study. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed using breath-by-breath gas sampling. A bicycle ergometer was used, and incremental exercise testing was carried out. Anaerobic threshold, respiratory compensation point (RCP), and the slope of oxygen uptake (VO2) as a function of work rate (ΔVO 2/ΔWR) were measured. A positive correlation (r=0.53) between RCP-AT time and ΔVO2/ ΔWR was found. RCP-AT time was corrected for the whole exercise period (ramp exercise-RCP point), and the correlation between corrected RCP-AT time and ΔVO2/ΔWR was still present (r=0.46). There was no correlation between RCP-AT time and anaerobic threshold. These findings suggest that RCP-AT time is a new parameter that reflects the rate of the aerobic and anaerobic metabolism after AT. (Jpn Circ J 1999; 63: 274 - 277)
