Background: The ability to measure oxygen consumption breath by breath during exercise requires an analyzer with fast response characteristics. Micro-fuel cell oxygen analyzers may be a more economical and efficient alternative to zirconia cell oxygen analyzers.

Methods: Two breath by breath exercise systems (CPX Ultima, Medical Graphics Corp., St.Paul,MN) were placed in tandem. One system used a zirconia cell oxygen analyzer (Medical Graphics Corp., St.Paul,MN) and the other system used a micro-fuel cell oxygen analyzer (UFO-130-2 Teledyne Analytical Instruments, City of Industry,CA). Ten normal healthy subjects performed a symptom-limited maximal exercise test using a modified bruce protocol. Breath by breath gas exchange data was measured simultaneously by both systems.

Results: Measures of agreement (bias ± precision) for True O2 between the system with a zirconia cell and the system with a micro-fuel cell are presented below at each level of exercise intensity reported as oxygen consumption (VO2).

Conclusion: There is good agreement at all levels of oxygen consumption between the zirconia cell and micro-fuel cell oxygen analyzers with breath by breath measurement during symptom-limited maximal exercise in healthy adults.