IJCS | Volume 32, Nº1, January/ February 2019

25 Table 5 - Echocardiographic variables, presence of ischemia and heart rate in the first minute of the exercise stress ECG test (HR 1st min) of the patients Variable Ischemia n Mean Median 1 st quartile 3 rd quartile SD p* value LV mass No 341 160.1 152 123 185 51.5 Yes 40 153.6 146.5 122.5 181 36.9 0.315 LV mass/SA No 341 91.9 87 75 103 34.5 Yes 40 84.2 81 74 94 16.7 0.018 Age No 341 79.1 78 76 81 3.7 Yes 40 78.3 77 76 79 4.1 0.188 BMI No 340 26.0 25.6 23.4 28.4 3.9 Yes 40 27.4 26.7 23.3 28.9 6.2 0.166 LVEF No 341 69.5 70 67 73 6.4 Yes 40 69.0 70 66.5 72.5 5.4 0.628 Left atrium No 341 36.9 36 33 40 5.6 Yes 40 38.5 37 35 41.5 5.0 0.107 Variable HR 1 st min n Mean Median Q st Q th SD p* value LV mass Normal 283 157.6 148 122 181 48.9 Abnormal 79 163.3 158 132 181 47.0 0.354 LV mass/SA Normal 283 90.8 85 73 103 35.5 Abnormal 79 91.1 88 77 104 21.7 0.928 Age Normal 283 78.9 78 76 81 3.7 Abnormal 79 79.1 79 76 81 3.7 0.566 BMI Normal 282 26.0 25.5 23.1 28.4 4.3 Abnormal 79 26.7 26.4 23.9 29.3 4.3 0.241 LVEF Normal 283 69.5 70 67 73 6.3 Abnormal 79 69.5 70 67 73 6.7 0.975 Left atrium Normal 283 37.1 36 34 40 5.6 Abnormal 79 36.4 36 33 40 5.4 0.269 * Student’s t- test for independent samples, p < 0.05. LV: left ventricular; SA: surface area; EF: ejection fraction; BMI: body mass index. Baroncini et al. Ergometric test and echocardiography in the elderly Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2019;32(1)19-27 Original Article it difficult to accurately analyze and compare the ergometric variables between the subjects. Second, since only patients with preserved left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions were selected, no significant difference was expected in VO 2 max, METs, HR, and distance covered. Thus, further studies including patients with different degrees of left ventricular dysfunction in the elderly are necessary. Conclusions Individuals aged 75 years or older, of both genders, relatively healthy, with preserved left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions, showed progressive decrease in the distance covered, VO 2 max, METS and at the expected increase in HR in exercise stress ECG test, due to aging and related comorbidities and physical deconditioning.