Introduction 

An inaccurate determination of the anaerobic threshold (VO2@AT) during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) may impact clinical decision making and affect the diagnosis of the patient. Determination of VO2@AT can show large inter-reader reliability. The purpose of this study was to quantify the inter-reader reliability in the determination VO2@AT between pulmonologists, pulmonary function technicians (PFT) and the CPET software program (Vyaire).

 Methods

In this cross-sectional retroperspective study a series of 15 clinical CPETs were re-analysed by 7 pulmonologists, 8 PFT?s and the software program. The inter-reader reliability was calculated using the Intraclass Correlation (ICC).

 Results

The agreement between PFT?s was low (ICC = 0,403). Among pulmonologists de agreement was higher (ICC = 0.751). The mean difference between the VO2@AT determinations of the PFT?s/pulmonologists and the software program was not significantly different from zero.

 Discussion

The results suggest that there is more agreement in the determination of VO2@AT among pulmonologists than PFT?s. The automatic analysis of the software program can offer a helping hand in the determination of the VO2@AT. However, there is substantial deviation in the software VO2@AT determination and therefore it is important that this must be considered and if necessary overruled. Regarding practical application, the inter-reader reliability could be more improved when PFT?s in our hospital were more involved in the assessment of the VO2@AT and CPET, as this is normally only performed by pulmonologist.