Reference Values for Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Young Male Slovak Athletes

Background: The reference values of young athletes for cardiopulmonary exercise testing are lacking. Expert opinions encourage production of local values specific for certain population. Patients and methods: The study population consisted of 136 healthy male caucasian athletic children and adolescents coming from one specific football school in northern Slovakia. Exercise testing with continuous electrocardiography was performed, and ventilatory parameters, oxygen uptake (VO2), and carbon dioxide (CO2) production were measured continuously with a respiratory gas analysis system. Results: Peak VO2max/kg was changing very little across the childhood, whereas the peak work rate, heart rate and O2Pulse were. Linear regression analysis showed a significant effect of age on VE/VCO2. Conclusion: This work provides a reference values for the most important cardiopulmonary variables that can be obtained during cardiopulmonary exercise testing in athletic children.