The aim of the study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the
lactate stress test in the detection of
mitochondrial myopathies. Thirty one healthy subjects, 10 patients with non-
mitochondrial myopathy and 26 patients with
mitochondrial myopathy underwent
lactate stress testing at a standardized workload of 30 W during 15 min on a bicycle ergometer.
Lactate was determined before the exercise (R1), 5, 10, 15 min after starting the exercise (S5, S10, S15) and 15 min after finishing the exercise (R2). A result was interpreted as pathologic if more than two of the five
lactate values were above the corresponding upper reference limits. The upper reference limits for the venous
lactate at R1, S5, S10, S15 and R2 were 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.0 and 1.7 mmol/l respectively. The
lactate stress test was pathologic in 1/10 of the non-
mitochondrial myopathies and in 18/26 of the
mitochondrial myopathies. The sensitivity of the
lactate stress test was 69%. The specificity of the test was 90%. In conclusion, the
lactate stress test proved to be helpful for evaluating the integrity of the oxidative metabolism in the majority of patients with
mitochondrial myopathy.