Wearable Positive End-Expiratory Pressure Valve Improves Exercise Performance

Abstract We tested a PEEP (4.2 cmH2O) mouthpiece (PMP) on maximal cycling performance in healthy adults. Experiment-1, PMP vs. non-PMP mouthpiece (CON) [N=9 (5♂), Age=30±2 yr]; Experiment-2, PMP vs. no mouthpiece (NMP) [N=10 (7♂), Age=27±1 yr]. At timepoint 1 in both experiments (mouthpiece condition randomized) subjects performed graded cycling testing (GXT) (Corival® cycle ergometer) to determine V ˙ O2peak (ml*kg*min-1), O2pulse (mlO2*bt-1 ), GXT endurance time (GXT-T(s)), and V ˙ O2(ml*kg*min-1)-at-ventilatory-threshold ( V ˙ O2 @VT). At timepoint 2 72 h later, subjects completed a ventilatory-threshold-endurance-ride [VTER(s)] timed to exhaustion at V ˙ O2 @VT power (W). One week later at timepoints 3 and 4 (time-of-day controlled), subjects repeated testing protocols under the alternate mouthpiece condition. Selected results (paired T-test, * V ˙ O2peak= 45.2±2.4* vs. 42.4±2.3; V ˙ O2@VT= 33.7±2.0 vs. 32.3±1.6; GXT-TTE=521.7±73.4* vs. 495.3±72.8; VTER=846.2±166.0 vs. 743.1±124.7; O2pulse=24.5±1.4* vs. 23.1±1.3. Experiment 2 PMP vs. NMP, respectively: V ˙ O2peak=43.3±1.6* vs. 41.7±1.6; V ˙ O2@VT=31.1±1.2* vs. 29.1±1.3; GXT-TTE=511.7*±49.6 vs. 486.4±49.6; VTER 872.4±134.0 vs. 792.9 ± 122.4; O2pulse=24.1±0.9* vs. 23.4±0.9. Results demonstrate that the PMP conferred a significant performance benefit to cyclists completing high intensity cycling exercise.