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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
One for the ex phys guys...

donm

Aug 26, 08 5:05

Post #1 of 9 (355 views)

One for the ex phys guys...	Can't Post

I've been looking into getting some metabolic testing done privately. I've looked at one particular place which apparently uses a Cosmed PFT Ergo gas analyser. Is anyone out there familiar with this equipment? Assuming it's calibrated correctly, should it produce accurate and reliable results?

Thanks for any help,
Don

RChung

Aug 26, 08 5:43

Post #2 of 9 (310 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [donm] [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I've looked at one particular place which apparently uses a Cosmed PFT Ergo gas analyser. [..] should it produce accurate and reliable results?

Hmmm. Doesn't sound like it'd be a double-blinded test. How would you know that you weren't trying harder on that piece of equipment?

AndyPeterson

Aug 26, 08 5:51

Post #3 of 9 (293 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [donm] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I have never heard of Cosmed. From their website I can't tell at all - they don't seem to still carry the analyzer you are talking about. If it a handheld/portable model, I would be skeptical. As far as I know, there aren't portable machines that can do RER and O2 consumption as well as a big laboratory gas exchange machine.

I'm not telling you anything about the product or the company - they might do good work, but I would take a close look at it and ask for some more information and/or specs on the machine before you try to use information you get from them.

swift

Aug 26, 08 5:52

Post #4 of 9 (291 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [donm] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Don

If its a reputable place they should calibrate it any time they use it. We do it here every time we turn the beast on.

-Jason

I believe cars are the new second hand smoke. -Dave Zabriske

donm

Aug 26, 08 8:29

Post #5 of 9 (196 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [RChung] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Very good, I enjoyed that.

I know you're just joking around and that you already know that since I won't be submitting it to any journals and I'm not comparing two treatment conditions, blinding isn't relevant.

indytri

Aug 26, 08 8:48

Post #6 of 9 (173 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [donm] [In reply to]	Can't Post

The COSMED stuff isn't bad, I have a couple friends with them in their labs. I'm not familiar with that model, but in general they're pretty accurate. They're a breath by breath system, so as long as they use enough breaths for the average, and calibrate it, then it should be a pretty accurate test.

donm

Aug 26, 08 8:53

Post #7 of 9 (167 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [AndyPeterson] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for the advice. From pictures, the system they're using looks portable:

http://www.theendurancecoach.com/...st_triathlon_package

The coach himself said it was the Cosmed PFT Ergo system they use, but when I google that system, the only hit I get that looks promising is this one, which is an auction for a Cosmed PFT Ergo 4:

http://www.dotmed.com/auction/4840

It looks like a big laboratory system, and looks pretty different from what they're using in the first link above. Hmmm...I think I'll have to ask a few more questions.

indytri

Aug 26, 08 9:23

Post #8 of 9 (137 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [donm] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Actually it looks like the analyzer set is behind the laptop. They just don't have the full cart and printer setup. The carts are stupid expensive for what they are.

donm

Aug 26, 08 10:49

Post #9 of 9 (87 views)

Re: One for the ex phys guys... [indytri] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ah, thanks...that's reassuring. If it's similar to the one in the auction, it's an expensive lab-quality piece of kit, so should have good reliability.