Teste cardiopulmonar em exoesqueleto para marcha robotizada em esteira rolante com suspensão do peso corporal: uma opção para avaliação de pessoas com tetraplegia - relato de caso

The life expectancy of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) has increased. Ageing has greater exposure to risk factors, increasing the morbidity of non-communicable diseases, especially cardiovascular. Objective: To describe the use of a robotic exoskeleton for robotic walking on a treadmill with body weight support to evaluate patients with tetraplegia during a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Case presentation: 55-year-old woman with tetraplegia C4 AIS B, unable to walk, she underwent CPET to determine ventilatory training Threshold and energy expenditure. A portable ergospirometry system was used to measure maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 Max) during the test. Results: During CPET, the electrocardiographic tracing did not indicate ischemic changes, remaining in sinus rhythm. There was an increase in heart rate during physical exertion, but gas exchange was adequate, indicating an increase in the metabolic demand supplied through respiratory adaptations. Discussion: Patients with tetraplegia often have altered ventilation patterns that can limit their aerobic capacity. Using the exoskeleton for both assessment and training simplifies the treatment, reducing displacements and improving the safety and comparability of results. Conclusion: The use of the exoskeleton for CPET offers an integrated effective approach for SCI patients, replicating the naturalistic activity of walking during cardiovascular and rehabilitation training.