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This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the accuracy and repeatability of the Q-NRG Max® metabolic system against a VacuMed metabolic simulator using a wide range of metabolic rates.

Methods

Sixteen metabolic rates (oxygen consumption 0.9–6 L/min), with different combinations of minute ventilation, oxygen consumption, and carbon dioxide production, were measured for 5 minutes, two times by a single Q-NRG Max® unit over the course of one week. Recordings were performed early in the morning, by the same trained technician, in a ventilated laboratory under the same atmospheric conditions. Accuracy was assessed by ordinary least products (OLP) regression analysis, Bland-Altman plots, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), mean percentage differences, technical errors (TE) and minimum detectable change (MDC) for all three variables. This analysis was performed using 10 metabolic rates (oxygen consumption 0.9–4 L/min) and 16 metabolic rates (oxygen consumption 0.9–6 L/min) to allow comparisons with previous research. Intra-device repeatability was performed by absolute percentage differences between measurements (MAPE), ICC, TE, and MDC for the same variables. Repeatability was investigated using 16 metabolic rates.

Results

High agreement and excellent ICCs (>0.998) were observed for all variables when considering both 10 and 16 metabolic rates. The mean percentage difference, TE and MDC were 0.87%–1.01%, 0.67%–1.07%, 1.55%–2.49%, respectively for the first 10 metabolic rates, and −0.39%–0.65%, 0.58%–1.63%, 1.35%–3.81%, respectively for the 16 metabolic rates. The intra-device repeatability results showed an excellent ICCs (=1.000), MAPE < 0.5%, TE < 1%, and MDC ≤ 2%.

Conclusion

The Q-NRG Max® is a valid and reliable mobile metabolic system for the measurement of ventilation, oxygen consumption, and carbon dioxide production. Measurements were below the 5% TE and MDC, and 2% MAPE recommended thresholds across a wide range of metabolic rates up to 6 L/min oxygen consumption.

Details

Title
Accuracy and repeatability of the COSMED® Q-NRG max mobile metabolic system
Author
Falcioni, Lavinia  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Guidetti, Laura  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Baldari, Carlo; Andrey Sanko Posada; Wing, Chris  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Dover, Luke; Meucci, Marco  VIAFID ORCID Logo 
First page
e0319394
Section
Research Article
Publication year
2025
Publication date
Mar 2025
Publisher
Public Library of Science
e-ISSN
19326203
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3179739893
Copyright
This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.