The aim of this study was to examine reproducibility of stroke volume and cardiac
output measurements by Doppler echocardiography during submaximal and maximal exercise
in adults and children. Fourteen healthy children (8 girls and 6 boys aged 10.9 ±
0.9 yr) and eleven healthy young adults (1 female and 10males aged 22.3 ± 3.8 yr)
underwent a progressive maximal upright cycle test until exhaustion with estimation
of stroke volume and cardiac output by Doppler echocardiography on two separate occasions
(one week apart). Maximal oxygen uptake and maximal heart rate were not significantly
different between both tests in the children and adults indicating that similar exhaustive
efforts were achieved at each test. No significant differences for mean values of
stroke volume and cardiac output were observed at rest in the children and whatever
the exercise intensity in the children and adults. No significant differences were
observed between values of root mean square (precision and precision of error) in
both groups. Thus we demonstrated that stroke volume and cardiac output values obtained
by Doppler echocardiography at rest and during submaximal and maximal exercise were
reproducible on test-retest measurements in children and adults.
Cardiac output, test-retest reproducibility, doppler, exercise.
