Assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness in Chinese patients with early to mid-stage Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with early to mid-stage Parkinson’s disease by cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on a stationary cycle ergometer.

Methods

To compare the differences in each index of the cardiopulmonary exercise test between the two groups of subjects; general data such as disease duration, medication use and exercise habits were also collected.

Results

(1) Finally, 36 Parkinson’s disease patients and 12 healthy controls successfully completed the cardiopulmonary exercise test without any adverse events. (2) The V’O₂peak, Metspeak, RERpeak, MVVpeak, Wpeak, HRpeak, HRpeak/pre, percentage of HRR-1 min decay > 12 bpm, SBPpeak in the Parkinson’s disease group were lower than those in the control group (p < .05, each). Detailed data: V’O2peak (15.7 ± 4.5vs21.5 ± 3.6 ml/kg/min, p < .01), Metspeak (4.5 ± 1.3 vs 6.1 ± 1.0, p < .01), RERpeak (1.04 ± 0.10 vs 1.15 ± 0.10, p = .001), MVVpeak (37.22 ± 11.58 vs 53.00 ± 16.85L/min, p = .009), Wpeak (49.17 ± 29.72 vs 49.17 ± 29.72W, p < .01), HRpeak (111.08 ± 16.67 vs 111.08 ± 16.67bpm, p < .01), HRpeak/pre (71.19 ± 10.06 vs 96.00 ± 21.13, p = .002), percentage of HRR-1min decay > 12bpm (33.3% vs 100%, p < .01), systolic blood pressure (155.81 ± 31.83 vs 175.83 ± 17.84 mmHg, p = .01). (3) Divided Parkinson’s disease patients into high V’O₂peak group (V’O₂peak ≥ 15 mL/kg/min) and low V’O₂peak group (V’O₂peak < 15 mL/kg/min). The age of patients, Hoehn–Yahr grade and incidence of symptom fluctuation in high V’O₂peak group were lower (p < .05, respectively), percentage of males and percentage of HRR-1 min decay > 12 bpm were higher (p < .05, respectively); p < .05 is considered a statistically significant difference. Detailed data: age of patients(61.05 ± 6.93 vs 68.57 ± 7.99 years, p = .005), Hoehn–Yahr grade(1.75 ± 0.48 vs 2.18 ± 0.64, p = .028), incidence of symptom fluctuation (59.1 vs 92.9%, p = .03), percentage of males (77.7 vs 42.9%, p = .041), percentage of HRR-1 min decay > 12 bpm (50 vs 7.1%, p = .008).

Conclusions

Cardiopulmonary exercise test was safe to perform and the cardiorespiratory fitness is significantly reduced in patients with early and middle stage Parkinson’s disease. Patients with Parkinson’s disease presented blunted heart rate and systolic blood pressure responses to exercise test. Females, older age, fluctuating symptoms, high H-Y staging and higher activities of daily living may be associated with lower oxygen uptake.

Keywords:

• Parkinson disease
• exercise test
• cardiorespiratory fitness
• oxygen uptake

Acknowledgment

The authors thank all patients who agreed to take part in this study.

Authors’ contributions

Kaili WANG, Qiong Wu and Jin Qiao designed the research study, supervised the data collection. Kaili WANG, Hao Cheng, Bo Yang, Dan Liu and Maria performed the research. Kaili WANG analysed the data. Kaili WANG wrote the manuscript. All authors contributed to editorial changes in the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

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

Data availability statement

The datasets analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research has not received specific funding from any public, commercial or not-for-profit funding body.