Background: Previous studies speculated that the Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT) is a maximal test in children and adolescents, however comparison between ISWT with cardiopulmonary exercise test has not yet performed. Furthermore, there is no regression equation available in the current literature to predict oxygen peak consumption (VO2 peak) in this population. This study aimed to assesses and correlate the cardiorespiratory responses of the ISWT with the cardiopulmonary exercise (CEPT) and to develop and validate a regression equation to predict VO2 peak in healthy sedentary adolescent boys.
Methods: Forty-one participants were included in the study. In the first stage, the VO2 peak, respiratory exchange ratio (R peak), heart rate max (HR max) and percentage of predicted HR max (% predicted HR max) were evaluated in CEPT and ISWT (n = 26). Second, an equation was developed (n = 29) to predict VO2 peak. In both phases, the VO2 peak, respiratory exchange ratio R and hearth rate (HR) were evaluated. In the third stage, the validation equation was performed by another 12 participants.
Results: Similar results in VO2 peak (P>0.05), R peak (P>0.05) and predicted maximum HR (P>0.05) were obtained between the ISWT and CEPT. Both tests showed moderate significant correlations of VO2 peak (r = 0.44, P = 0.002) e R peak (r = -0.53, P < 0.01), as well as the agreement of these measurements by Bland-Altman analysis (VO2 peak, bias = -0.13; R peak, bias = 0.0). Distance walked was the variable that explained 42.5% (R2 = 0.425, p = 0.0001) of the variance in VO2 peak. The equation was VO2 peak (predicted) = 20.94 + (0.02 x distance walked). The results obtained by the equation were not significantly different compared to the values obtained by the gas analyzer and the Bland-Altman analysis showed agreement (bias = 1.6).
Conclusion: The ISWT produced maximal cardiorespiratory responses comparable to the CEPT, and the developed equation showed viability for the prediction of VO2 peak in healthy sedentary adolescent boys.