Assessment of detraining through a six-minute walk test in patients with heart disease

• Published in: São Paulo medical journal 2025-01, Vol.143 (1), p.e2023334
• Main Authors: Silva, Victória Moreira, Cintra, Vitória Moreira, Silva, Maria de Lourdes da, Meneguci, Joilson, Silva, Fernando Seiji, Carvalho, Eduardo Elias Vieira de, Espindula, Ana Paula, Silva, Lucina Duarte Novais
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Cardiac rehabilitation; Cardiac Rehabilitation - methods; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular rehabilitation program; Exercise; Exercise test; Exercise Therapy - methods; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Female; Heart diseases; Heart Diseases - physiopathology; Heart Diseases - rehabilitation; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Middle Aged; Original; Physical capacity; Physical fitness; Principle of reversibility; Retrospective Studies; Six-minute walk test; Time Factors; Walk Test; Walking - physiology
• ISSN: 1516-3180; 1806-9460; 1806-9460
• DOI: 10.1590/1516-3180.2023.0334.R1.03072024

Detraining can partially or completely reduce training-induced metabolic adaptations. However, the duration for which the rehabilitation effects persist after detraining, especially in patients with heart disease, remains unclear. To evaluate the principle of reversibility/detraining in patients with heart disease via the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) after a period of rest. A retrospective cohort study developed at the Rehabilitation Center of the Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro in Uberaba/MG, Brazil. This clinical, retrospective longitudinal study involved 20 patients with heart disease who underwent 5 months of supervised cardiac rehabilitation (CR). The mean age of participants was 64.05 ± 9.25 years. The initial rehabilitation was followed by an interruption period and rehabilitation for another 5 months. Functional capacity was assessed using the 6MWT. In the specific analysis of the distance covered, values of P = 0.03 and P = 0.01 were obtained on comparing post-training (669.64 ± 58.80 meters) with post-detraining (640.82 ± 101.23 meters) and post-detraining with post-retraining (650.82 ± 96.28 meters), respectively. No significant difference was observed for the comparison between training and retraining (P = 0.83). Cardiovascular rehabilitation positively stimulates functional capacity, whereas detraining significantly reduces it. The 6MWT is effective in measuring changes in physical capacity.