Validation of Blood Oxygen Level Test in Well-trained Athletes

NCT06236490 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: InstSportPoland
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 58
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Blood Oxygen Level Test (BOLT) was never scientifically validated. Therefore, we investigated the association of BOLT scores with athletic performance in well-trained athletes. The study focuses on exercise tolerance in severe and extreme intensity domains, as they provoke significant homeostatic perturbations. We perform Wingate Anaerobic Test and Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test, which are part of the regular National Team athletes screening in our lab, to see if the results may be assocciated with BOLT results. The performance tests are used by the Speedskating National Team multiple times per year as training monitoring and performance assessments of the athletes.

Conditions

Athletic Performance

Keywords

bolt; blood oxygen level test; chemosensitivity; baroreceptor sensitivity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Blood Oygen Level Score

  Voluntary breatholding untill the first signs of discomfort of respiratory muscle contraction, measured in seconds.

  June-September 2023

• Wingate Test Result - total completed work

  Total work completed during Wingate 30 second test, measured in kilojouls

  June-September 2023

• Maximal Oxygen Uptake - VO2max

  Maximal oxygen uptake, measured in ml/kg/min.

  June-September 2023

• Time to cessation during cardiopulmonary testing

  Time in seconds from achieving oxygen uptate plateau to cessation of exercise.

  June-September 2023

• Wingate Test Result - peak power

  Peak power during Wingate 30 second test, measured in watts.

  June-September 2023

Study Arms (1)

Study Particpants - Speedskating Athletes

All the study participants were members of the Polish National Development Team or Polish National Elite Team in either long-track or short-track speedskating. Inclusion criteria were as follows: a valid medical certificate for competitive speedskating, a minimum of six years of training, and no prior exposure to respiratory or respiratory muscle training. Exclusion criteria were as follows: any chronic medical conditions, recent acute medical conditions within the last 4 weeks, COVID-19 infection within the last 6 months, recent stay in an altitude over 1500 meters above sea level within the last 4 weeks, and the use of any ongoing medications.

Diagnostic Test: Blood Oxygen Level Test; Diagnostic Test: Wingate Anaerobic Test; Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test

Interventions

Blood Oxygen Level Test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

The study participants rested for 15 minutes before measuring the BOLT score. During this time they were carefully instructed on how to perform the measurement. It was underlined that we do not measure how long one can hold their breath, but the time it takes for the body to react to lack of air and feel the desire to breathe. After a few normal breaths through the nose, after the exhalation, the participants held their breath until they felt the first definite desire to breathe or felt the first involuntary contractions of the respiratory muscles. The first was assessed by the participants, the latter was also visually assessed by the researchers. The nose was closed with the fingers to prevent any gas exchange. The researchers measured the time with a Finis 3x300M stopwatch (FINIS USA, Livermore, CA, USA). Time in seconds, to one decimal place, was noted as a BOLT score. The visualisation of BOLT is presented in Figure 2.

Study Particpants - Speedskating Athletes

Wingate Anaerobic Test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

WAnT was conducted with Monark 874E Cycle Ergometer (Monark Exercise AB, Sweden). Before WAnT, the participants performed a 5-minute warm-up with resistance ranging from 0.8 to 1.2 W/kg. Next, the participants performed a maximal 6-second sprint, with the resistance adjusted to 7.5% of the individual body mass. After a rest interval of 2 to 5 minutes, the participants underwent a 30-second WAnT with resistance set at 7.5% of the individual body mass. They were instructed to attain the highest peak power output as quickly as possible and maintain the highest power output throughout the entire duration of the test. The participants received motivating and enthusiastic verbal support. The following indices were measured and included in the further analysis: peak power (Ppeak), total work (TW), WSSR. All the indices were calculated with the dedicated software (MCE 6.0, JBA Z. Staniak, Poland) linked to the cycle ergometer.

Study Particpants - Speedskating Athletes

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

CPET was performed with the Cortex Metamax B3 (Cortex Biophysik GmbH, Leipzig, Germany), breath-by-breath method, and Cyclus II Ergometer (RBM, Leipzig, Germany). Participants underwent an incremental ramp test, commencing at 55-70W and incrementally increasing the load by 0.17-0.28 W·sec-1, individually adjusted for body mass. The participants were instructed to continue the effort until total exhaustion. All the participants fulfilled the maximum effort criteria (Wiecha et al. 2023): 1) respiratory exchange ratio ≥ 1.10, (2) present VO2 plateau (growth \< 100 mL·min-1 in VO2 despite increased cycling power), (3) respiratory frequency ≥ 45 breaths·min-1, (4) declared subjective exertion intensity during CPET ≥ 18 according to the Borg Scale (Borg 1998), (5) blood lactate concentration ≥8 mmol·L-1, (6) peak heart rate ≥ 15 beats·min-1 below predicted maximal heart rate (HRmax) (Lach et al. 2021).

Study Particpants - Speedskating Athletes

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Elite Speedskaters, Members of the National Team

You may qualify if:

• a valid medical certificate for competitive speedskating,
• a minimum of four years of competitive training,
• no prior exposure to respiratory or respiratory muscle training.

You may not qualify if:

• any chronic or acute medical condition within the last 4 weeks,
• recent stay at an altitude over 1500 meters above sea level within the last 4 weeks,
• the use of any ongoing medications, smoking, any ongoing allergy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Institute of Sport - National Research Institute, Poland: lead

Study Sites (1)

Institute of Sport - National Research Institute

Warsaw, 01-982, Poland

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Exercise Test

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Heart Function Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Respiratory Function Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; Ergometry; Investigative Techniques

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE ONLY
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 24, 2024
• First Posted: February 1, 2024
• Study Start: June 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: September 30, 2023
• Study Completion: September 30, 2023
• Last Updated: February 2, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PL (1)