Comparison of COSMED'S FitMate™ and K4b2 metabolic systems reliability during graded cycling exercise.

This study compared the reliability of the Cosmed FitMate™ and K4b2 metabolic systems during light to heavy steady state exercise. Expired gas, ventilation were recorded in 50 subjects, using in a random order among four sessions, either the FitMate™ or the Cosmed K4b2. No differences in oxygen consumption were observed between the two systems whatever the intensity. Intraclass correlation were high for both analyzers (respectively for the FitMate™ system and the Cosmed K4b2; ICC: 0.76-0.88 vs. 0.88-0.95). The FitMate™ metabolic system could be a useful reliable and easy-to-use metabolic system in energy expenditure measurement.