New ergometric reference values for clinical exercise tests.

A group of 301 apparently healthy men and women were studied using bicycle ergometry in order to obtain generally applicable reference values for clinical exercise testing. The subjects, aged 30-67 years, were derived from a comprehensive health survey carried out on a population sample representative of adult Finns. The exercise test was a standardized heart rate conducted programme in which workload was regulated so as to increase heart rate by 5 beats/min every min up to subjective maximum. Three indicators of exercise capacity are presented: maximal workload (Wmax), mean workload attained during the last 4 min of the test (Wlast4') and hypothetical maximal workload sustainable for 6 min (Wmax6'). All showed wide inter-individual variation even when related to age and body weight. The ergometric results depended significantly on age and height in men and on age and weight in women. We present formulas for the calculation of expected values of Wlast4' and Wmax6' on the basis of sex, age, height and weight. We suggest that the measured values be given in percentages of those expected.