OBJECTIVE: To determine the probability of oxygen desaturation in healthy individuals
undergoing the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT). METHODS: We enrolled 83 healthy subjects: 55 males (including 1 smoker) and 28
females. We determined pre-ISWT FEV1, FEV6, HR and
SpO2, as well as post-ISWT HR and SpO2. RESULTS: Mean values overall were as follows: age, 35.05 ± 12.53 years; body mass
index, 24.30 ± 3.47 kg/m2; resting HR, 75.12 ± 12.48 bpm; resting
SpO2, 97.96 ± 1.02%; FEV1, 3.75 ± 0.81 L;
FEV6, 4.45 ± 0.87 L; FEV1/FEV6 ratio,
0.83 ± 0.08 (no restriction or obstruction); incremental shuttle walk
distance, 958.30 ± 146.32 m; post-ISWT HR, 162.41 ± 18.24 bpm; and post-ISWT
SpO2, 96.27 ± 2.21%. In 11 subjects, post-ISWT
SpO2 was higher than was pre-ISWT SpO2. In 17
subjects, there was a 4% decrease in SpO2 after the ISWT. There
were no statistically significant differences between the groups with and
without post-ISWT oxygen desaturation in terms of age, gender,
FEV1, FEV6, FEV1/FEV6,
pre-ISWT SpO2, incremental shuttle walk distance, HR, or
percentage of maximal HR. In the individuals with post-ISWT oxygen
desaturation, the body mass index was higher (p = 0.01) and post-ISWT
SpO2 was lower (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Healthy individuals can present oxygen desaturation after the ISWT. Using
the ISWT to predict subtle respiratory abnormalities can be misleading. In
healthy subjects, oxygen desaturation is common after the ISWT, as it is
during any intense physical activity.