| Summary: | Background: The Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope (OUES) attained during submaximal treadmill exercise is a reliable index of cardiorespiratory capacity in older adults. This investigation compares OUES values derived during treadmill walking and performance of the Continuous Scale Physical Function Performance test (CS-PFP). Method: A Cosmed portable metabolic cart was used to collect breath gases in 36 older adults (age: 81.8 +/- 7.8 years). Twenty-one subjects performed both the incremental treadmill test and the CS-PFP while an additional 15 subjects performed the CS-PFP, only. Results: The regression of log Ventilation vs. VO<sub>2</sub> reveals similar correlations for the CS-PFP and treadmill derived slopes (Rsquare= 0.78-0.93, and 0.81-0.92, respectively). Moreover, the OUES slopes derived from the CS-PFP and treadmill conditions were highly correlated (ICC = .93). Conclusion: the OUES can be derived during the performance of the CS-PFP, suggesting an economy of testing whereby physical function and cardiorespiratory capacity can be simultaneously assessed.
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