Gas Exchange Kinetics and Work Load During Exercise

March 19, 2026 updated by: Dan Cooper, University of California, Irvine

Gas Exchange Kinetics and Work Load During Different Exercise Protocols in Healthy Children and Young Adults

The purpose of this research study is to understand how different kinds of exercise affect the human body and the health of the heart and lungs.Participants will exercise in different protocols on a bicycle ergometer or treadmill. This research could lead to improved and more accurate fitness assessment and pave the way to an improved personalized exercise program in health and illness.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The purpose of this research study is to understand how different kinds of exercise affect the human body and the health of the heart and lungs. For example, some people like to exercise continuously for relatively long periods of time while others like to exercise for short periods of time with rest periods in between. Children tend to exercise in frequent bouts of brief exercise interspersed with periods of rest. Also, some people like running or treadmill exercise while others like to work out on stationary bicycles. To date, standard exercise testing is based on a century-old paradigm used predominantly for adults that involves maximal exercise protocols (cardiopulmonary exercise testing-CPET). Moreover, different but widely used exercise modalities such as cycle ergometer and treadmills are currently impossible to compare in children, and this has limited the clinical and research application of such testing in the pediatric age-range. A major premise of this laboratory is that laboratory testing of cardiopulmonary fitness in children should be based on protocols that mimic naturally occurring patterns of exercise in children, rather than those that have been artificially employed to assess maximal efforts in adults. This research project designed to begin the process of systematically identifying protocols can be best used for children and young adults. Participants will exercise in different protocols on a bicycle ergometer or treadmill. This research could lead to improved and more accurate fitness assessment and pave the way to an improved personalized exercise program in health and illness.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

94

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Irvine, California, United States, 92697/92617
        • Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center, University of California, Irvine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

7 years to 35 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Between the ages of 7-35 years old without any known respiratory, cardiac or metabolic disease
  • Determined to be in good health by preparticipation history
  • No evidence of disease or disability that would impair participation in an exercise testing
  • No chronic prescribed medication

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Other limitation which in the eyes of the physician that would preclude ability to perform exercise testing
  • Use of illegal drugs or abuse of alcohol
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Cyclo Ergometer Exercise in Children
Comparison of gas exchange kinetics and heart rate in cyclo ergometer exercises among children
Other: Exercise Training
Comparison of stationary bike and treadmill exercise among children, adolescents and adults
Experimental: Treadmill Exercise in Children
Comparison of gas exchange kinetics and heart rate in treadmill exercises among children
Other: Exercise Training
Comparison of stationary bike and treadmill exercise among children, adolescents and adults
Experimental: Cyclo Ergometer Exercise in Adolescents
Comparison of gas exchange kinetics and heart rate in cyclo ergometer exercises among adolescents
Other: Exercise Training
Comparison of stationary bike and treadmill exercise among children, adolescents and adults
Experimental: Treadmill Exercise in Adolescents
Comparison of gas exchange kinetics and heart rate in treadmill exercises among adolescents
Other: Exercise Training
Comparison of stationary bike and treadmill exercise among children, adolescents and adults
Experimental: Cyclo Ergometer Exercise in Adults
Comparison of gas exchange kinetics and heart rate in cyclo ergometer exercises among adults
Other: Exercise Training
Comparison of stationary bike and treadmill exercise among children, adolescents and adults
Experimental: Treadmill Exercise in Adults
Comparison of gas exchange kinetics and heart rate in treadmill exercises among adults
Other: Exercise Training
Comparison of stationary bike and treadmill exercise among children, adolescents and adults

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maximum Oxygen Uptake (VO2) Measurements During Exercise
Time Frame: At least 48 hours
Breath by breath gas exchange VO2 in response to exercise.
At least 48 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Heart Rate (HR) Measurements During Exercise
Time Frame: At least 48 hours
Heart Rate (HR) values in response to exercise
At least 48 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of California, Irvine

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 26, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 8, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 6, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

December 10, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 19, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 20152467

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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