History of technologic development and data analysis in VO2

History of technologic development and data analysis in VO2 evaluation in
swimming
Carlo Baldari, Ph.D, Marco Meucci, Ph.D
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome,
Italy.
INTRODUCTION
Oxygen uptake (VO2) is widely recognized as the most indicative parameter to measure
individual exercise intensity in endurance events. In fact, VO2max is defined as the maximum
aerobic power of an individual and it is generally accepted as the best measure of the functional
limit of the cardiorespiratory fitness [Howley et al. 1995] and recognized as a reliable measure of
maximal aerobic capacity [Fernandes et al. 2008, Holmér I. 1974, Libicz et al. 2005]. At present, it
is possible to rely on modern breath-by-breath (BxB) technologies to obtain precise and reliable
VO2 measurements through cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in laboratory and field
conditions using standardized analysis strategies [Duffield et al. 2004, Reis et al. 2010].
The K4b2 portable metabolic cart (Cosmed K4b2, Italy) allows to perform CPET using a
telemetry BxB technology recently applicable also to water and swimming activities in combination
to specific snorkel and a valves systems such as the Cosmed AquaTrainer®. This recent model of
snorkel was defined as valid for gas analysis by Baldari et al. [2013] that observed a high
correspondence in respiratory parameters when compared with a standard facemask (proportional
and fixed differences were rejected). This model uses large size valves and tubes to decrease
resistances, and reduced internal volumes (a dead space of 11.3 ml) to minimize gas mixtures
[Vilas-Boas et al. 1994].
DEVELOPMENT
Originally, gas analysis in swimming was performed using Douglas bag technique and
expired air was collected through a first snorkel designed by Toussaint et al. in 1987 with a dead
space of 30 ml. In 1994, Dal Monte et al. presented a new model in carbon fiber with a reduced
dead space (15 ml) connected to the first portable O2 analyser. Keskinen et al. in 2003 validated an
innovative snorkel adapted to a portable BxB metabolic cart (Cosmed K4b2) reporting a 3-7%
difference in respiratory and gas exchange values when compared to a standard facemask.
The AquaTrainer® snorkel and K4b2 system (Figure 1) allows accurate CPET analysis
through BxB measurement in swimming. Reliable VO2 measurements can be assessed in both
rectangular and graded protocols [Sousa et al. 2011, Reis et al 2010], in VO2 kinetics analysis
[Astorino et al 2000], and in estimating the energy cost of swimming [Di Prampero et al 1974,
Fernandes et al 2006], however, BxB data must be properly treated. To minimize the inter-breath
variability in respiratory parameters, it is necessary to clean errant breath and average BxB data
using different sampling intervals at specific exercise intensities [Astorino TA 2009, Myers et al.
1990]. First, a preliminary check of occasional breath values (over 4 ± SD VO2 from the local
mean) should be done to exclude errant breaths due to swallowing, coughing, sighing. Secondly, a
6-breath moving average (smoothing) and a sampling interval of 15 seconds in BxB values is
recommended to obtain stable and accurate VO2 data [Astorino TA 2009, Baldari et al 2013,
Fernandes et al 2012, Sousa et al. 2009, de Jesus et al 2014].
Figure 1: Representation of K4b2 (on the left) and AquaTrainer® (on the right) system
CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of VO2 through CPET in swimming has become more and more practiced
during the last ten years thanks to the newly AquaTrainer® snorkel that allows cardiorespiratory
measurements through BxB analysis in connection to the K4b2 portable metabolic system.
However, to obtain accurate VO2 data from BxB analysis it is recommended to remove errant
breaths and apply a 6-breath moving average and a sampling interval of at least 15 seconds to the
measured parameters.
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