Submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing to assess preoperative aerobic capacity in patients with knee osteoarthritis scheduled for total knee arthroplasty: a feasibility study

ABSTRACT

Objective

To investigate the feasibility of submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) scheduled for primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery. Secondly, to assess their preoperative aerobic capacity.

Methods

In this observational, single-center study, participants performed a submaximal CPET 3–6 weeks before surgery. To examine their experiences, participants completed a questionnaire and one week later they were contacted by telephone. CPET was deemed feasible when five feasibility criteria were met. Aerobic capacity was evaluated by determining the oxygen uptake (VO₂) at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) and oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES). OUES values were compared with two sets of normative values.

Results

All feasibility criteria were met as 14 representative participants were recruited (recruitment rate: 60.9%), and all participants were able to perform the test and reached the VAT. No adverse events occurred, and all participants were positive toward submaximal CPET. The median VO₂ at the VAT was 12.8 mL/kg/min (IQR 11.3–13.6). The median OUES/kg was 23.1 (IQR 20.2–28.9), 106.4% and 109.4% of predicted.

Conclusion

Submaximal CPET using cycle ergometry seems feasible in patients with knee OA scheduled for TKA surgery to evaluate preoperative aerobic capacity.

KEYWORDS:

• Osteoarthritis
• knee
• exercise testing
• physical fitness
• feasibility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.