The Effect of Endurance Training on Pulmonary V ˙ O 2 Kinetics in Solid Organs Transplanted Recipients

Background: We investigated the effects of single (SL-ET) and double leg (DL-ET) high-intensity interval training on O 2 deficit (O 2 Def) and mean response time (MRT) during square-wave moderate-intensity exercise (DL-MOD), and on the amplitude of V ˙ O 2p slow component (SC amp ), during heavy intensity exercise (DL-HVY), on 33 patients (heart transplant = 13, kidney transplanted = 11 and liver transplanted = 9). Methods: Patients performed DL incremental step exercise to exhaustion, two DL-MOD tests, and a DL-HVY trial before and after 24 sessions of SL-ET ( n = 17) or DL-ET ( n = 16). Results: After SL-ET, O 2 Def, MRT and SC amp decreased by 16.4% ± 13.7 ( p = 0.008), by 15.6% ± 13.7 ( p = 0.004) and by 35% ± 31 ( p = 0.002), respectively. After DL-ET, they dropped by 24.9% ± 16.2 ( p < 0.0001), by 25.9% ± 13.6 ( p < 0.0001) and by 38% ± 52 ( p = 0.0003), respectively. The magnitude of improvement of O 2 Def, MRT, and SC amp was not significantly different between SL-ET and DL-ET after training. Conclusions: We conclude that SL-ET is as effective as DL-ET if we aim to improve V ˙ O 2p kinetics in transplanted patients and suggest that the slower, V ˙ O 2p kinetics is mainly caused by the impairment of peripherals exchanges likely due to the immunosuppressive medications and disuse.