Three minutes walking test in correlation to six minutes walking test in COPD patients

Abstract

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common preventable and treatable disease that is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation that is due to airway and/or alveolar abnormalities usually caused by significant exposure to noxious particels or gases. Aim of the Work: The present objective is to analyze whether the distance covered over a short time period, 3 min, can be considered a reproducible test, determine whether there is a learning effect, and correlate the results with those obtained from the standard 6 min test. Patients and Methods: This prospective study was performed on 40 COPD patients recruited from the Emergency room or outpatient clinic at Chest Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt) who will fulfill the inclusion criteria, Spirometry is required to make the diagnosis; the presence of post-bronchodilator FEVI/FVC < 0.70 confirms the presence of persistent air flow limitation). Without resting hypoxemia with FEVI/FVC <70%, Oxygen saturation of hemoglobin by pulse oximetry (SpO2) at room air>88%y. All eligible patients were asked to perform 3 minutes and 6 minutes walking test Results: learning effect exists with the 3 and 6 min distances repeated over short periods of time. A good correlation was observed between the distance walked at 3 and 6 min. Conclusion(s): Our results suggest that the 3 min walking test is sub-maximal strength test that is simple and easy to carry out both in the hospital as well as outpatients environment, with a low cost, facilitating the evaluation of the functional capacity of patients with COPD, not very severe patients. Potential use includes evaluation of results after therapeutic treatment: bronchodilator drugs therapy, lung volume surgery, lung transplant and respiratory rehabilitation programs.