The GCRC Exercise Physiology Core is located on the 4th floor of the JHAAC and is the site where GCRC participants undergo exercise training and testing. The facility includes an office, a testing and exam area, male and female dressing rooms and an exercise training area. The GCRC shares this area with the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program of the Division of Cardiology.

The goals of the exercise facility are to support GCRC protocols that assess:

    Clinical exercise physiology responses as outcome variables     Exercise training as an intervention

The exercise testing and training facility is unique to the Johns Hopkins Bayview GCRC, and does not duplicate any other existing service at Johns Hopkins. This center is available to all exercise related IRB-approved protocols of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

The Exercise Facility is directed by Kerry J. Stewart, Ed.D., Professor of Medicine, who is also the Director of the Johns Hopkins Bayview Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Under an agreement between Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and the School of Medicine to share space and equipment, the exercise facility is used by the GCRC for research, and by JHBMC for clinical cardiac rehabilitation. In many cases, subjects in the research protocols will exercise at the same time as the patients in cardiac rehabilitation. This arrangement provides a critical mass of experienced personnel to supervise research subjects in exercise training protocols.

Stress Testing

	ECG stress testing/Metabolic stress testing is performed in the exercise testing lab (352 sq ft) using a Sensormedics 229 Vmax metabolic system. This piece of equipment can be used for diagnostic screening and for protocols that require measurement of oxygen consumption and related cardiopulmonary parameters.
	Cardiosoft software allows for continuous 12-lead ECG monitoring, automatic resting ECG interpretation, arrhythmia detection, ST level and slope analysis. A treadmill or cycle ergometer can be interfaced with the computer in order to accommodate various research protocols.
	The system uses a pneumotachometer to acquire breath-by-breath gas exchange and ventilatory data. Gas samples are evaluated using oxygen and carbon dioxide analyzers. The system can be manipulated to determine cardiac output at rest and during exercise and to assess pulmonary function.
	The computer is fully compatible with our computer network to allow for transfer of data for statistical analysis. An HP laser jet color printer is used for generating printed reports.

Muscle Strength Testing

	Available equipment for strength testing consists of a Hoist multistation resistance trainer and several sets of 1-15 lb hand weights. Both are located in the training facility.
	A Biodex dynamometer (System 3) is available for isokinetic strength testing.

Anthropometric and Body Composition Assessment

	Harpenden Skinfold Calipers, assorted tapes, and a balance scale are available for anthropometric assessment.
	A portable RJL Systems Bioimpedence analyzer using version 3.2 software run on a Zenith 386 computer is available to evaluate body fat percent and water retention.
	A GE Lunar DEXA (Dual X-ray Absorptiometry) scanner is available to assess body composition, including: total body, femur, dual femur, forearm and lumbar spine bone mineral density. All scans are analyzed using EnCore 2002 software, version 06.80.002.

Exercise Training

	The exercise training facility is approximately 1200 sq ft. Changing rooms are available for men (238 sq ft) and women (233 sq ft). Both contain shower facilities and lockers.
	The training facility is equipped with 6 Trotter treadmills, 4 NuStep steppers, 4 Schwinn airdyne cycle ergometers, 1 Precor elliptical trainer, 1 upper body ergometer, and 1 Body Trec elliptical trainer.
	A 12-channel ScottCare wireless telemetry ECG monitoring system is used to monitor heart rate, rhythm, and ST-T wave responses to exercise. The monitoring system, which runs on a Pentium computer, also has full report generating and editing features that is used to record key parameters of each exercise session.
	A fully equipped emergency crash cart and defibrillator is also available for emergencies.
	Assorted blood pressure cuffs, weight scales, timers and clocks are available for research purposes.