Six-Minute Walk Test in Children With Cerebral Palsy Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I and II: Reproducibility, Validity, and Training Effects

• Published in: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation Vol. 93; no. 12; pp. 2333 - 2339
• Main Authors: Nsenga Leunkeu, Angeline, Shephard, Roy J., Ahmaidi, Said
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral palsy; Cerebral Palsy - rehabilitation; Child; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Exercise; Exercise Test - methods; Female; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Oxygen Consumption; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Physical Therapy Modalities; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Rehabilitation; Reproducibility of Results; Walking; Cerebral palsy; V̇epeak; V̇o2; COR; ICC; V̇co2; CP; 6MWT; STPD; V̇o2peak; Exercise; V̇e; Rehabilitation; GMFCS; Gross Motor Function Classification System; V̇ e; V̇ co 2; peak minute ventilation; V̇ o 2; standard temperature and pressure, dry gas; minute ventilation; 6-minute walk test; V̇ o 2peak; oxygen consumption per unit time; V̇ epeak; peak oxygen consumption; intraclass correlation coefficient; coefficient of repeatability; carbon dioxide consumption; Human; Physical exercise; Nervous system diseases; Cerebral disorder; Validity; Reeducation; Reproducibility; Orthopedics; Central nervous system disease; Classification; Child
• ISSN: 0003-9993; 1532-821X; 1532-821X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2012.06.005

Nsenga Leunkeu A, Shephard RJ, Ahmaidi S. Six-minute walk test in children with cerebral palsy Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I and II: reproducibility, validity, and training effects. To assess the reproducibility and validity of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) with gas collection, and to evaluate effectiveness of a walking program in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Assessment and controlled training study. Rehabilitation service. Children/adolescents with CP (N=24; 12 boys, 12 girls; mean age, 14.2±2.0y, Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I and II). After a cycle-ergometer stress test and the 6MWT, subjects were assigned to training (n=12, 40min of moderate walking exercise 3 times per week for 8wk) or a matched control group (n=12). Peak oxygen consumption (V̇o2peak), peak ventilation, peak heart rate, and 6MWT distance. Test-retest correlations for the 6MWT were good (V̇o2peak: r=.90, P<.001, intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=.85; peak ventilation: r=.88, P<.001, ICC=.83; peak heart rate: r=.86, P<.001, ICC=.82; distance walked: r=.87, P=.007, ICC=.80). Mean scores for the 6MWT also closely matched corresponding cycle-ergometer data. Significant improvements in 6MWT V̇o2peak, peak ventilation, and peak heart rate were found after 8 weeks of training (P<.05). The 6MWT appears reproducible and valid relative to cycle-ergometer assessments of cardiorespiratory responses, and offers a simple method of clinical assessment. An 8-week moderate walking program improves the cardiopulmonary fitness of children with CP, as measured by 6MWT.