Assessment and Repeatability of Aerobic Capacity Using the Chester Step Test Among Current, Former, and Never Smokers

Cigarette smoking contributes to reduced cardiorespiratory performance, which may improve upon cessation. Consequently, former smokers' cardiorespiratory fitness should not be significantly different from that of never smokers. We compared aerobic capacity (V̇O2max) among current, former, and never smokers and verified its repeatability. V̇O2max values were obtained using the Chester Step Test (CST) method during two separate study visits approximately 10 days apart. V̇O2max measurements were available from a total of 70 subjects (23 current, 23 former, and 24 never-smokers) and showed significant repeatability. Current smokers had the worst aerobic capacity, with a mean VO2max ± SD of 38.8 ± 4.5, which was significantly lower than the VO2max of 41.62 ± 3.8 in never-smokers (p < 0.0001) and 41.43 ± 4.6 in former smokers (p < 0.0001). No significant differences were observed between never-smokers and former smokers. V̇O2max estimates by CST were reproducible and showed that the aerobic capacity of individuals who smoke is substantially inferior compared to never and former smokers. Improvement in cardiorespiratory performance following smoking cessation may have important implications for smoking cessation, especially for those smokers who perceive enhanced physical performance as a tangible benefit.