The six-minute walk test using forehead oximetry is reliable in the assessment of scleroderma lung disease

• Published in: Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) Vic.), 2012-05, Vol.17 (4), p.647-652
• Main Authors: WILSHER, MARGARET, GOOD, NICOLA, HOPKINS, RAEWYN, YOUNG, PAMELA, MILNE, DAVID, GIBSON, ANDREW, SUPPIAH, RAVI, LY, JASON, DOUGHTY, ROBERT, DALBETH, NICOLA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; computed tomography scan; Disease Progression; Exercise Test; Female; Humans; interstitial pneumonia; Lung Diseases - diagnosis; Lung Diseases - physiopathology; lung function test; Male; Middle Aged; Oximetry; Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; Reproducibility of Results; scleroderma; Scleroderma, Systemic - diagnosis; Scleroderma, Systemic - physiopathology; six-minute walk; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1323-7799; 1440-1843
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2012.02133.x

ABSTRACT Background and objective:  The six‐minute walk test (6MWT) is a validated field test in the assessment of interstitial lung disease but may not be so useful in scleroderma (SSc) lung disease. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of the 6MWT in patients with SSc and correlate results with morphological and functional measures of disease severity. Methods:  Thirty patients (24 female, mean age 47, mean diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide 65%, vital capacity 77% predicted) with American College of Rheumatology classification of SSc performed two 6MWT using various oximetry sites, 1 week apart, and underwent SSc‐specific disease severity and quality‐of‐life measurements, lung function, high‐resolution computed tomography and echocardiography. Results:  There was good reliability between the two 6MWT (distance; intraclass correlation coefficient 0.95, r = 0.89, Borg; intraclass correlation coefficient 0.85, r = 0.91, both P