CLINICO-PHYSIOLOGIC EVALUATION OF PHYSICAL WORKING CAPACITY IN PERSONS WITH PULMONARY DISEASE1 2 Rationale and Application of a Method Based an Estimating Maximal Oxygen-Consuming Capacity from MBC and O2ve Part I.3

Journal/Book: Reprinted from THE AMERICAN REVIEW OF RESPIRATORY DIOSEASES Vol. 93 No. I January 1966. 1966;

Abstract: Received for publication June 7 1965 1 From the Department of Surgery University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland; and the Department of Medicine University of Southern California School of Medicine Los Angeles California. 2 This paper is based an investigations supported by Grant No. HE 93572 (Phy) from the National Institutes of Health; a contract with the Bureau of Old Age and Survivors' Insurance Social Security Administration; and General Research Support Grant No. FR 5356-04-5 of the University of Southern California School of Medicine. 3 Because of its length this paper has been divided into two parts and is being published in successive numbers of the REVIEW. 4 Requests for reprints should be addressed to Bruce W. Armstrong M.D. University of Southern California School of Medicine 2025 Zonal Avenue Los Angeles California 90033. SUMMARY A simple and adaptable procedure for evaluating the physical working capacity of individual subjects is described. It requires: measurement of the subject's ventilatory capacity by determining his maximal breathing capacity (MBC); estimating with a nomogram that is presented the peak rate of oxygen consumption (Vo2max) for normal persons of the same age and weight as the subject; estimating from another nomogram the speed and grade of walking that will require the subject to work at a rate requiring about half his normal peak Vo2 ; observing the subject during this stint of exercise; measuring the volume of breathing and Vo2 during the fifth and sixth minutes of the walk. By dividing this volume measurement by the Vo2 the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen (O2ve) can be estimated. From this estimate of the O2ve and the MBC the value for the subject's peak Vo2 that he cannot exceed can be estimated. By observing a person doing work that requires half of the normal peak rate of energy expenditure one can judge accurately whether he is significantly incapacitated. By combining this with knowledge of the ventilatory capacity and the ventilatory equivalent the subjective estimate of physical working capacity can be reinforced and substantiated or qualified and revised. ___MH

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