Six minute walk distance in healthy subjects aged 55–75 years

• Published in: Respiratory medicine Vol. 100; no. 4; pp. 658 - 665
• Main Authors: Camarri, Bernadine, Eastwood, Peter R., Cecins, Nola M., Thompson, Philip J., Jenkins, Sue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2006; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Body Height; Body Weight; Exercise Test; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume - physiology; Healthy subjects; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pneumology; Predictive Value of Tests; Regression Analysis; Sex Factors; Six minute walk distance; Six minute walk test; Time Factors; Walk tests; Walking - physiology; Walk tests; Six minute walk test; Healthy subjects; Six minute walk distance; Exercise test; Physical exercise; Human; Healthy subject; Distance
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2005.08.003

The six minute walk test (6MWT) is the most commonly used exercise test in pulmonary rehabilitation; however, the paucity of six minute walk distance (6MWD) reference values from population-based samples limits data interpretation in patients. This study was undertaken to determine 6MWD in a population-based sample of healthy subjects and to identify predictors of 6MWD in this group. Seventy Caucasian subjects (33 males) aged 55–75 years performed three tests using a standardised protocol. 6MWD was defined as the greatest distance achieved from the three tests. Other measurements included height, leg length, weight, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1), exhaled carbon monoxide and self-reported physical activity including habitual walking. The average 6MWD was 659±62 m (range 484–820 m). Males walked 59±13 m further than females ( P < 0.001 ). Height ( r = 0.54 , P < 0.01 ), weight ( r = 0.25 , P < 0.05 ) and FEV 1 ( r = 0.48 , P < 0.001 ) were significantly correlated with 6MWD. Forwards stepwise multiple regression showed height ( R 2 = 0.294 ) and FEV 1 ( R 2 change=0.045) to be independent predictors of 6MWD ( P < 0.05 ), explaining 33.9% of the variance. 6MWD in this healthy population-based sample of males and females exceeds values previously reported. Height and FEV 1 were identified as significant independent predictors of 6MWD in this group.