Key result
Increasing age (OR 1.042 per year) and lower maximum running speed (OR 0.840 per km/h) significantly increased the odds of presenting a non-regular heart rate performance curve during treadmill running.
Why the study?
Heart rate performance curve patterns during maximal cycle ergometry influence exercise prescription, but corresponding data during treadmill running were lacking.
Cross-Sectional (n=1,100)
No
In healthy adults undergoing maximal treadmill exercise, older age and lower fitness levels are associated with a higher probability of non-regular (linear or inverted) heart rate performance curves, which should be considered for individualized exercise prescription.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Provides first HRPC pattern data in treadmill running; leaves open effects on exercise prescription.
Introduction: The heart rate performance curve (HRPC) in maximal incremental cycle ergometer exercise demonstrated three different patterns such as downward, linear or inverse versions. The downward pattern was found to be the most common and therefore termed regular. These patterns were shown to differently influence exercise prescription, but no data are available for running. This study investigated the deflection of the HRPC in maximal graded treadmill tests (GXT) of the 4HAIE study. Methods: Additional to maximal values, the first and second ventilatory thresholds as well as the degree and the direction of the HRPC deflection (kHR) were determined from 1,100 individuals (489 women) GXTs. HRPC deflection was categorized as downward (kHR < −0.1), linear (−0.1 ≤ kHR ≤ 0.1) or inverse (kHR > 0.1) curves. Four (even split) age- and two (median split) performance-groups were used to investigate the effects of age and performance on the distribution of regular (= downward deflection) and non-regular (= linear or inverse course) HR curves for male and female subjects. Results: Men (age: 36.8 ± 11.9 years, BMI: 25.0 ± 3.3 kg m−2, VO2max: 46.4 ± 9.4 mL min−1. kg−1) and women (age: 36.2 ± 11.9 years, BMI: 23.3 ± 3.7 kg m−2, VO2max: 37.4 ± 7.8 mL min−1. kg−1) presented 556/449 (91/92%) downward deflecting, 10/8 (2/2%) linear and 45/32 (7/6%) inverse HRPC´s. Chi-squared analysis revealed a significantly higher number of non-regular HRPC´s in the low-performance group and with increasing age. Binary logistic regression revealed that the odds ratio (OR) to show a non-regular HRPC is significantly affected by maximum performance (OR = 0.840, 95% CI = 0.754–0.936, p = 0.002) and age (OR = 1.042, 95% CI = 1.020–1.064, p < 0.001) but not sex. Discussion: As in cycle ergometer exercise, three different patterns for the HRPC were identified from the maximal graded treadmill exercise with the highest frequency of regular downward deflecting curves. Older subjects and subjects with a lower performance level had a higher probability to show a non-regular linear or inverted curve which needs to be considered for exercise prescription.
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Birnbaumer et al. (2023) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy adults (n=1,100). Age and maximum performance was evaluated on Non-regular heart rate performance curve (HRPC) (OR 1.042, 95% CI 1.020-1.064, p=<0.001). Increasing age (OR 1.042 per year) and lower maximum running speed (OR 0.840 per km/h) significantly increased the odds of presenting a non-regular heart rate performance curve during treadmill running.
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