Prediction of peak oxygen uptake from ratings of perceived exertion during a sub-maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Purpose: We assessed the validity of predicting peak oxygen uptake ( $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O peak) from the relationship between oxygen uptake ( $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O) and overall ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) obtained during the initial stages of a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Method: Fifteen healthy participants and 18 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) performed a maximal CPET, during which $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O and RPE were measured until RPE. Results: Individual regressions between $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O and RPE were extrapolated to RPE to predict $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O peak. Mean actual and predicted $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O peak were not significantly different in healthy women (18.9 ± 4.1 vs. 20.4 ± 4.5 mL kg min, respectively) and men (28.9 ± 7.8 vs. 29.7 ± 8.5 mL kg min, respectively), or in women (15.2 ± 4.7 vs. 15.8 ± 5.0 mL kg min, respectively) and men (16.2 ± 4.4 vs. 17.4 ± 5.4 mL kg min, respectively) with COPD ( P = 0.067). Moreover, actual and predicted $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O peak were highly correlated in healthy participants and COPD patients ( r ≥ 0.89; P < 0.001). The bias and 95 % limits of agreement were −1.0 ± 4.0 and −1.0 ± 4.6 mL kg min for healthy and COPD participants, respectively. Conclusion: $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O peak can be predicted with acceptable accuracy in healthy participants and patients with COPD from the individual relationship between $$ {\dot{V}} $$ O and RPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]