Affiliations: [a] Service de Médecine Physique et
Rééducation, Laboratoire de Physiologie de l'Exercice (LPE), CHU
Bellevue, Faculté de Médecine Jacques Lisfranc, Université
Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne, France | [b] Service de Physiologie Clinique et de l'Exercice, CHU
Nord, Faculté de Médecine Jacques Lisfranc, Université
Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne, France | [c] UFRSTAPS Montpellier, Laboratoire "Efficience et
Déficience Motrice", Université Montpellier I, Montpellier,
France
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Francis Degache, PhD, Service MPR
– CHU Bellevue, F – 42055 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France. Tel.: +33
4 77 12 77 56; Fax: +33 4 77 12 77 72; E-mail: francis.
degache@chu-st-etienne.fr
Abstract: Background: Isokinetic testing imposes severe cardiovascular stress
which must be taken into consideration particularly when at risk patients are
involved. Objective: To assess the effects of isokinetic tests on heart rate
(HR) in stable chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. Subjects: Twenty five CHF patients, 23 men, 2 women. Intervention: After a 10-min warm-up on a cycle ergometer, one
lower limb was tested isokinetically using 3 successive repetitions of knee
flexion-extension at 60 and 180°/s and 20-repetitions at 240°/s.
Heart rate was recorded on average over 5 sec and was analyzed at the start and
end of each exercise. Peak ˙VO_{2} was assessed during maximal
incremental test on the ergometer. Results: Maximal values (117.6 ± 22.0 bpm) of HR were
obtained during incremental exercise testing which corresponded to 97.6 ±
14.0% of maximal HR noted at peak ˙VO_{2}. Conclusion: Isokinetic muscle strength testing in CHF
patients must be performed under the supervision of an experienced clinician
who should judge the value and feasibility of the endurance test.
