Modality-Specific Heart Rate Differences at Ventilatory Thresholds During Unified Ramp Testing

NCT07718594 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 202311036RIND
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 23
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the heart rate bias between cycling and treadmill exercise at ventilatory thresholds. This was a randomized crossover trial involving 23 healthy participants. Each participant performed both cycling and treadmill exercise tests in a randomized order. The primary outcome was to determine the difference in heart rate response at the first and second ventilatory thresholds between the two exercise modalities. We hypothesized that there is a fixed bias in heart rate response, which may have implications for exercise prescription in clinical and rehabilitation settings.

Conditions

Exercise Physiology; Ventilatory Threshold; Heart Rate; Cycling and Treadmill Exercise; Exercise (EX)

Keywords

Randomized Crossover Trial; Exercise Intensity; Cardiorespiratory Fitness; Ventilatory Thresholds; Heart Rate

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Modality-Specific Heart Rate Differences at Ventilatory Thresholds (VT1 and VT2)

  The absolute difference in heart rate (measured in beats per minute, bpm) recorded at the first ventilatory threshold (VT1) and second ventilatory threshold (VT2) between cycle ergometry and treadmill running.

  Identified during each 8 to 12-minute cardiopulmonary exercise test session (Sessions separated by 7 to 14 days).

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Oxygen Consumption (VO2) at Thresholds and Peak

  Extracted as 30-second averages centered on the threshold time points and peak during each exercise test session.

• Ventilatory Equivalent for Carbon Dioxide (EqCO2)

  immediately after exercise test

• Oxygen Pulse (O2 pulse)

  immediately after exercise test

Study Arms (2)

Cycling-First Sequence

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm are randomized to perform the continuous ramp cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) on a cycle ergometer first. After a washout period of 7 to 14 days, they cross over to perform the standardized treadmill ramp testing.

Device: Cycle Ergometer CPET; Device: Motorized Treadmill CPET (Porszász Protocol)

Treadmill-First Sequence

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm are randomized to perform the standardized treadmill ramp cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) using the Porszász algorithm first. After a washout period of 7 to 14 days, they cross over to perform the cycle ergometer ramp testing.

Device: Cycle Ergometer CPET; Device: Motorized Treadmill CPET (Porszász Protocol)

Interventions

Cycle Ergometer CPET DEVICE

Following a 3-minute unloaded warm-up (0 W), continuous ramp increases began at 20 W/min for men or 15 W/min for women, targeting an 8-12 minute test duration to volitional exhaustion.

Cycling-First Sequence; Treadmill-First Sequence

Motorized Treadmill CPET (Porszász Protocol) DEVICE

Standardized ramp testing utilizing the Porszász algorithm. Simultaneous adjustments to speed and grade mathematically produce a linear rise in metabolic demand (matched to 20 or 15 W/min based on sex), ensuring identical oxygen uptake kinetic demands to the cycling protocol.

Cycling-First Sequence; Treadmill-First Sequence

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age ≥ 20 years.
• Familiarity with both cycling and treadmill exercise.
• Negative response on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).

You may not qualify if:

• History of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease.
• Musculoskeletal injuries limiting exercise range of motion.
• Use of medications known to affect heart rate or ventilation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cathay General Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Cathay General Hospitla

Taipei, Taipei City, 10630, Taiwan

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Blinded, experienced raters
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: visiting staff

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 14, 2026
• First Posted: July 22, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: November 30, 2024
• Study Completion: November 30, 2024
• Last Updated: July 22, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: The data and supporting documents will be available immediately following the publication of the article and will remain available for 5 years after publication.
• Access Criteria: Researchers interested in accessing the IPD or supporting documentation must submit a methodologically sound research proposal to the corresponding author for review. The proposal should clearly state the research question and the intended use of the data. Access to the de-identified data will be granted to researchers who meet the criteria after signing a data access agreement and demonstrating institutional ethical approval. Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure participant privacy and data security.

Locations

TW (1)