Reference values for the 6-minutes walking test in healthy Chilean children

• Published in: Revista medíca de Chile 2012-08, Vol.140 (8), p.1014-1021
• Main Authors: Gatica, Darwin, Puppo, Homero, Villarroel, Gregory, San Martín, Iván, Lagos, Rossana, Montecino, Juan José, Lara, Cristian, Zenteno, Daniel
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Adolescent; Body Mass Index; Child; Chile; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise Test - methods; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Female; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Male; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Walking - physiology
• ISSN: 0717-6163
• DOI: 10.4067/S0034-98872012000800007

The 6-minutes walking test (6WT) is the ideal submaximal test for the evaluation and follow-up of patients with chronic respiratory diseases. There are no reference values (RV) for Chilean children using the American Thoracic Society guidelines. To generate 6WT reference values for Chilean children aged 6 to 14 years. 6MW was evaluated in 192 healthy children (100 women) aged between 6 and 14 years. The test was carried out in a 30 m long indoor flat surface. Children also answered a survey about health problems and their weight and height were recorded. The distance walked by women and men was 596.5 ± 57 and 625 ± 59.7 m respectively (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between the distance walked and height (r = 0.58), age (r = 0.56), weight (r = 0.54) and reserve heart rate (r = 0.21). These results can be used as reference values for the 6WT in Chilean children aged 6 to 14 years. They are similar to those reported abroad.