A Comparison of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing and Shuttle Walk Test in Older Adults With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background/objectives: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has been positively associated with brain volumes and health in older adults and negatively associated with dementia and dementia mortality. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a gold-standard test for evaluating CRF and for exercise prescription but requires specialized equipment and is time- and resource-intensive. More feasible and valid options for evaluation of CRF are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and relationship of shuttle walk test (SWT) distance with peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) from cycle ergometer-based CPET in persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data (n = 80) who completed both CPET and SWT from the ACT (aerobic exercise and cognitive training) Trial. Data were analyzed with simple and multiple linear regression.

Results: The study sample was 74.1 (5.7) years old, had 45.0% female representation, and scored 23.2 (2.0) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. SWT was positively correlated with VO2peak (r = .57, p < .01). When controlling for age, sex, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and body mass index, SWT distance remained significantly and positively associated with VO2peak, and explained 6% of the variance in VO2peak (Cohen's ƒ2 = 0.06).

Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the relationship of SWT distance and CPET VO2peak in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and shows that SWT distance significantly predicts VO2peak. Significance/Implications: Preliminary evidence supports the use of the SWT as a valid assessment of CRF in persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.