Evaluation of Cardiorespiratory Function by a Graded Cycling Exercise Test in Obese and Non-obese Stroke Hemiparetic Patients

Using a graded cycling exercise test, the cardiorespiratory responses were ex­ amined in 43 stroke hemiparetic inpatients with or without obesity. These re­ sponses were also examined in 17 simple obese subjects. The following results were obtained: 1) Peak oxygen uptake (\102 peak) and peak heart rate (HR peak) were not significantly different in these three groups. 2) Peak oxygen uptake per body weight (\102 peak/W) in obese hemiparetic patients was significantly lower than that in the others. 3) Peak metabolic equivalent (METS peak) in obese hemiparetic patients was significantly lower than that in simple obese subjects. 4) Percentage of maximum oxygen uptake (% \10 2 max.) and peak load per body weight (Load peak/W) in hemiparetic patients were significantly lower than that in simple obese subjects. 5) Other indices such as percentage of maximum heart rate (% HR max.) , peak minute ventilation (\1E peak) , % vital capacity (% VC) and forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV 1.0 sec.) were not significantly different in these three groups. And also, oxygen uptake (\102 ) , heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake per body weight (\102/W) at the anaerobic threshold were not significantly different. These results suggest that the physical fitness in hemiparetic patients is relative­ ly lower than that in simple obese subjects, and\102 peak/W in obese hemiparetic patients is particularly lower than that in non-obese ones. Thus, attempts to im­ prove the low fitness by both exercise and diet therapy might be particularly necessary for the better recovery of obese hemiparetic patients in the rehabilita­ tion program.