Influence of appendicular skeletal muscle mass on resting metabolic equivalents in patients with cardiovascular disease: implications for exercise training and prescription.

Nichols, Simon; O'Doherty, Alasdair; Carroll, Sean; Ingle, Lee

Abstract

The metabolic equivalent (MET) is a widely used physiological concept for quantifying levels of habitual physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The MET conveys the oxygen consumption requirements of physical activities as multiples of the resting or basal metabolic rate (RMR). It may also be used to prescribe workloads for exercise training in patient groups, including those attending cardiac rehabilitation. One MET is considered to be equivalent to the oxygen consumed per kilogram of body mass at rest (while sitting) and, due to practical issues with direct metabolic cart measurements, it is conventionally approximated as 3.5 ml/kg–1/min–1. This expression of resting energy expenditure has been incorporated within physical activity position statements and guidelines. However, a number of factors – including age, sex, body mass (fat-free mass), cardiometabolic health and CRF – influence the RMR, which might limit the broad applicability of the conventional 1 MET at a population level. Widely prescribed cardiac drugs (i.e. beta blockers) have also been cited to influence the RMR, with some inconsistent findings in men. We aimed to evaluate the potential limitations of using the estimated MET in a cohort of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), in whom we recently reported a positive association between skeletal muscle mass and peak oxygen uptake (O2peak). We hypothesized that patients with a lower skeletal muscle mass would also have a lower RMR, determined by resting respiratory gas analysis, and this would affect the accuracy of the aerobic exercise prescription based on METs.

Citation

NICHOLS, S., O'DOHERTY, A., CARROLL, S. and INGLE, L. 2020. Influence of appendicular skeletal muscle mass on resting metabolic equivalents in patients with cardiovascular disease: implications for exercise training and prescription. European journal of preventive cardiology [online], 27(9), pages 1001-1003. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487319856432

• Journal Article Type: Letter
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Aug 29, 2020
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Nov 29, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 29, 2023
• Journal: European journal of preventive cardiology
• Print ISSN: 2047-4873
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-4881
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 1001-1003
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487319856432
• Keywords: Cardiac rehabilitation; Cardiovascular disease; Muscle mass; Exercise therapy
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2079715