A comparison of the shuttle and 6 minute walking tests with measured peak oxygen consumption in patients with heart failure

• Published in: Journal of science and medicine in sport Vol. 4; no. 3; pp. 292 - 300
• Main Authors: Green, D.J., Watts, K, Rankin, S, Wong, P, O'Driscoll, J.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2001
• Subjects: Exercise Test - methods; Exercise Test - standards; Female; Heart Failure - physiopathology; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oxygen Consumption; Physical Exertion - physiology; Physical Fitness - physiology; Predictive Value of Tests; Reproducibility of Results; Walking - physiology
• ISSN: 1440-2440; 1878-1861
• DOI: 10.1016/S1440-2440(01)80038-4

This study investigated the use of an incremental, externally-paced 10m shuttle walk test (SWT) as an objective, reliable and predictive test of functional capacity in patients with heart failure (CHF). The SWT was compared to a 6 minute walk test (6WT) and a maximal symptom-limited treadmill peak oxygen consumption (V̇O 2peak) test. Experiment 1 examined the reproducibility of the SWT. Two SWT trials were performed and distance ambulated (DA), heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) results compared. In experiment 2, SWT, 6WT, and V̇O 2peak tests were performed and HR, RPE and ambulatory V̇O 2 compared. The SWT demonstrated strong test/retest reliability for DA (r = 0.98), HR (r = 0.96) and RPE (r = 0.89). Treadmill V̇O 2peak was significantly correlated with DA during the SWT (r = 0.83, P < 0.05), but not the 6WT. SWT peak V̇O 2 (18.5±1.8 ml.kg −1.min −1) and treadmill V̇O 2peak (18.3±2.0 ml.kg −1.min −1) were also highly correlated (r = 0.78, P < 0.05). Conversely, 6WT peak V̇O 2 and treadmill V̇O 2peak were not significantly correlated. This study suggests the SWT is a reliable, objective test, highly predictive of V̇O 2peak which may be a more optimal field exercise test than the self paced 6WT.