Can a treadmill test tell us when when we’re going to die?
Cardiologists who have developed a new formula to predict the likelihood of death based on a treadmill test, say fitness was the single most powerful indicator of death and survival, trumping important variables such as diabetes and family history.
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) institution in Baltimore, US, say their formula can predict a person's risk of dying over the next decade, based on their ability to exercise on a treadmill at an increasing speed and incline.
For their research – outlined in the latest edition of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings – the cardiologists studied data on 58,020 people, aged 18 to 96, who underwent standard exercise stress tests for evaluation of chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting or dizziness. The researchers then tracked how many of the participants within each fitness level died from any cause over the next decade.
The results reveal that among people of the same age and gender, fitness levels as measured by METs (also known as metabolic equivalents – a gauge of how much energy the body expends during exercise) and peak heart rate reached during exercise were the greatest indicators of death risk.
"The notion that being in good physical shape portends lower death risk is by no means new, but we wanted to quantify that risk precisely by age, gender and fitness level, and do so with an elegantly simple equation that requires no additional fancy testing beyond the standard stress test," said lead investigator Haitham Ahmed.
"Stress test results are currently interpreted as 'either/or' but we know that heart disease is a spectrum disorder. We believe that our FIT score reflects the complex nature of cardiovascular health and can offer important insights to both clinicians and patients."
Under the new algorithm, dubbed the FIT Treadmill Score, people are scored between -200 to 200, with that figure corresponding to a risk of death over the next decade. Patients who score 100 or higher have a 2 per cent risk of dying over the next 10 years, while those with scores between -100 and 0 face an 11 per cent death risk over the next decade. In other words, two of 100 people of the same age and gender with a score of 100 or higher would die over the next decade, compared with 11 out of 100 for those with a fitness score between -100 and 0.
Published along with the study is a chart depicting death risk by age, gender and fitness level, which can be printed on placards for use in doctor’s offices to guide clinical advice.
"The FIT Treadmill Score is easy to calculate and costs nothing beyond the cost of the treadmill test itself," said senior study author Michael Blaha. "We hope that illustrating risk that way could become a catalyst for patients to increase exercise and improve cardiovascular fitness.”
Given that many people are encouraged to seek a stress test from doctors before joining health clubs or embarking on exercise regimes, the test has potential implications for gyms in terms of boosting motivation and quantifying exercise improvements. For example, those with a high risk of death in the next decade could be shown how that risk diminishes as their fitness levels improve.
BIG unveils Eve Music Hall as Croatia venue nears completion
Bob Rogers hands BRC to long-serving leadership team
Wellness care hospital opens in Vilnius with innovative spa and hospitality concept
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
For years, the corridor has been associated primarily with science, technology, housing and university-led economic growth. However, the clustering of large-scale visitor attraction projects along the
All-inclusive eco-wellness development Auko to open near Vietnam’s Son Doong caves
Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
The attraction has transformed the aquarium’s Phelps Auditorium into a multi-sensory venue combining panoramic projection, environmental effects and interactive technology.
A new pre-show area allows visitors to engage with augmented reality marine animals before entering the
Mandarin Oriental announces standalone Mansions-branded residences for Abu Dhabi
MCR is planning a luxury hotel for London's BT Tower
Joy as a radical act: Yinka Ilori launches solo exhibition celebrating the rebellious power of spreading happiness
Work gets underway on Madrid's €800 million leisure complex
Work is underway in Madrid on one of Europe’s most significant multi-functional complexes, combining sport, entertainment, culture and education.
The €800 million initiative to regenerate the former Olympic Aquatic Centre in the north-east of the city, next to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, is being led by Barsento – a joint venture between Live Nation Entertainment, Oak View Group and Atlético de Madrid. The project will
Therme Manchester reveals 90:90 strategy – 90 per cent of the UK population within a 90-minute drive of a Therme
Four Seasons’ Naples Beach Club opens 2,800sq m Sanctuary spa inspired by indigenous Calusa people
Orient Express Corinthian to host Ocean Rebirth wellness retreat in collaboration with Guerlain
Famed London nightclub, Tramp, launches Tramp Health
First look: Miraval opens on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
Hainan Science Museum by Ma Yansong, opens in China
A new science museum has opened to the public in Haikou after attracting more than 350,000 visitors during a four-month soft opening period.
Designed by Ma Yansong and his practice MAD Architects, the Hainan Science Museum is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park and has already recorded peak attendance of more than 5,800 visitors in a single day.
Commissioned by
Zannier Île De Bendor launches with design by Hardel Le Bihan Architectes
Sæl Spa readies for launch in London: “a modern British sanctuary”
Immersive art bathhouse Submersive announces debut location in Austin
Construction begins on regenerative wellness destination The Shenandoah Nature Resort
Royal Caribbean reveals record-breaking cruise ship
V&A East opens in London
David Geffen galleries open at LACMA
New venue The Lands by Capella includes a longevity centre to complement sister hotel Capella Sydney
World of Frozen launches at Disneyland Paris
Pical Resort by Valamar reveals first Croatian spa under the ESPA brand
Mandarin Oriental creates end-to-end Egyptian journey with two new hotels and first-ever luxury river cruise
Designers Mendil + Meyer launch new division called Lām Concepts for strategic wellness projects
Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda reveals brand’s second Sanctuary spa
4a Architekten shares details of wellness extension at Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
