Aerobic Threshold Identification in a Cardiac Disease Population Based on Correlation Properties of Heart Rate Variability

An index of heart rate (HR) variability correlation properties, the short-term scaling exponent alpha1 of detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA a1) has shown potential to delineate the first ventilatory threshold (VT1). This study aims to extend this concept to a group of participants with cardiac disease. Sixteen volunteers with stable coronary disease or heart failure performed an incremental cycling ramp to exhaustion PRE and POST a 3-week training intervention. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and HR at VT1 were obtained from a metabolic cart. An ECG was processed for DFA a1 and HR. The HR variability threshold (HRVT) was defined as the VO2, HR or power where DFA a1 reached a value of 0.75. Mean VT1 was reached at 16.82 ± 5.72 mL/kg/min, HR of 91.3 ± 11.9 bpm and power of 67.8 ± 17.9 watts compared to HRVT at 18.02 ± 7.74 mL/kg/min, HR of 94.7 ± 14.2 bpm and power of 73.2 ± 25.0 watts. Linear relationships were seen between modalities, with Pearson’s r of 0.95 (VO2), 0.86 (HR) and 0.87 (power). Bland–Altman assessment showed mean differences of 1.20 mL/kg/min, 3.4 bpm and 5.4 watts. Mean peak VO2 and VT1 did not change after training intervention. However, the correlation between PRE to POST change in VO2 at VT1 with the change in VO2 at HRVT was significant (r = 0.84, p < 0.001). Reaching a DFA a1 of 0.75 was associated with the VT1 in a population with cardiac disease. VT1 change after training intervention followed that of the HRVT, confirming the relationship between these parameters.