The plateau in the NIRS-derived [HHb] signal near the end of a ramp incremental test does not indicate the upper limit of O2 extraction in the vastus lateralis

Erin Calaine Inglis, Danilo Iannetta, Juan M. Murias*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aimed to examine, at the level of the active muscles, whether the plateau in oxygen (O2) extraction normally observed near the end of a ramp incremental (RI) exercise test to exhaustion is caused by the achievement of an upper limit in O2 extraction. Eleven healthy men (27.3 ± 3.0 yr, 81.6 ± 8.1 kg. 183.9 ± 6.3 cm) performed a RI cycling test to exhaustion. O2 extraction of the vastus lateralis (VL) was measured continuously throughout the test using the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-derived deoxygenated hemoglobin [HHb] signal. A leg blood flow occlusion was performed at rest (LBFocc1) and immediately after the RI test (LBFocc2). The [HHb] values during the resting occlusion (108.1 ± 21.7%; LBFocc1) and the peak values during exercise (100 ± 0%; [HHb]plateau) were significantly greater than those observed at baseline (0.84 ± 10.6% at baseline 1 and 0 ± 0% at baseline 2) (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between LBFocci and [HHb]plateau (P > 0.05) or between the baseline measurements (P > 0.05). [HHb] values at LBFocc2 (130.5 ± 19.7%) were significantly greater than all other time points (P < 0.05). These results support the existence of an O2 extraction reserve in the VL muscle at the end of a RI cycling test and suggest that the observed plateau in the [HHb] signal toward the end of a RI test is not representative of an upper limit in O2 extraction.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)R723-R729
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology
Volume313
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 5 Dec 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Blood flow
  • Deoxygenated hemoglobin
  • Muscle oxygen extraction
  • Near-infrared spectroscopy

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