Reliability of 6-Minute Walk Test in Stroke Patients

Lee, J H; Shin, H I; Jeong, Y S

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of 6-minute walk test as a functional exercise test in stroke patients.
METHODS
The subjects were 14 stroke hemiplegic patients (8 men, 6 wemen). They could walk with or without assistive device, such as AFO and cane. The 6 minutes walk test was performed 4 times once a day for 4 days. Distance walked (DW), gait speed, and step length were measured as gait parameters. Also heart rate, blood pressure, Borg's ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), rate-pressure product (RPP), and physiologic cost index (PCI) were measured as cardiopulmonary parameters. All parameters were measured repeatedly during 4 trials. The data were analyzed between the trials and parameters.
RESULTS
In gait parameters, DW and step length were increased during 1st to 3rd trials, and gait speed was increased during 1st and 2nd trials(p<0.05). In cardiopulmonary parameters showed no statistical difference between trials. There were excellent correlations in between gait parameters(r= 0.94, 0.89, 0.84)(p<0.05), but no correlation between gait and cardiopulmonary parameters(p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
6-minute walk test can be used as a simple functional exercise capacity measurement in stroke patients. But, because there are the learning effects that the test should be performed more 3 times for improving reliability.