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Volume 32, Nº 1, Janeiro e Fevereiro 2019

   

DOI: http://www.dx.doi.org/10.5935/ijcs.359-4802.20180085

ARQUIVO ORIGINAL

Correlation between Exercise Stress Test and Echocardiographic Parameters in Elderly Individuals

Liz Andréa Villela Baroncini

Camila Varotto Baroncini

Juliana Ferreira Leal

Dra. Liz Andréa Villela Baroncini









Abstract

Background: Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) in healthy individuals decreases approximately 10% per decade of life, and such decrease is more pronounced after the seventh decade.

Objectives: To assess functional capacity of individuals aged 75 years or older, submitted to ergometric test and transthoracic echocardiogram exam, by means of metabolic equivalent (MET) and VO2 max measurements.

Methods: A total of 381 patients (205 women; 79 ± 3.7 years) were evaluated. Exclusion criteria were: presence of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, LV diastolic dysfunction grade II and III, significant valve disease, or coronary artery disease with systolic LV dysfunction or dilatation. Associations between quantitative variables were analyzed by Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, and comparisons of quantitative data by Student’s t-test for independent samples.

Results: Increasing age was associated with a progressive decrease in the distance covered (p = 0.021), in the expected increase in HR (p < 0.001), in VO2 max (p < 0.001), and METs (p < 0.001) in both genders. There was no correlation of exercise test parameters with the echocardiographic parameters.

Conclusions: Relatively healthy older individuals, with global systolic and diastolic functions of the left ventricle preserved, presented a progressive decrease in their functional capacity due to their natural aging process, comorbidities related to their age range and physical deconditioning. (Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2019;32(1)19-27)

Keywords: Cardiovascular Diseases; Risk Factors; Aging; Oxygen Consumption; Exercise Test; Echocardiography/methods; Exercise.