A 10-year follow-up of key gas exchange exercise parameters in a general population: results of the Study of Health in Pomerania

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a frequently used method for the evaluation of the cardiorespiratory system. The prognostic relevance of the measured parameters is commonly known. Longitudinal data on cardiorespiratory fitness in a large sample of well-characterised healthy volunteers are rare in the literature. METHODS: CPET data of 615 healthy individuals who voluntarily took part in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) at three different measurement times were analysed. The median observation time was 10.5 years. The age range was 25–85 years. RESULTS: Over the observed timeframe and with increasing age, a decline in maximum power, peak oxygen uptake (V′(O(2)peak)) and oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold (V′(O(2))@AT) was detectable. This decline was aggravated with increasing age. For the minute ventilation (V′(E))/carbon dioxide production (V′(CO(2))) slope, an increase was measured in individuals aged ≥50 years only. CONCLUSION: The present study affirms the decrease in aerobic capacity with increasing age in a selected, well-characterised, healthy study sample, which seems to be less pronounced in females.