The Usefulness of the Incremental Load Repeated Standup Test in the Assessment of the Exercise Capacity of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Published in: Journal of Physical Therapy Science Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 391 - 395
• Main Authors: JUN HORIE, KENICHI ITO, SHINICHIRO HAYASHI, HIROMASA FUJII, HIDEKI ISHIHARA, ETSUO HORIKAWA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Society of Physical Therapy Science 01.04.2013
• ISSN: 0915-5287

[Abstract.] [Purpose] Field walking tests are widely used to assess the exercise capacity of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present study aimed to examine whether or not the incremental load repeated standup test (IRST), a new field test which is easy to conduct, can substitute for existing field walking tests, the 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and the incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT). [Methods] The cardiopulmonary exercise stress test (CEST), 6MWD, ISWT, and IRST were performed by 18 Japanese male elderly patients with COPD. The IRST consists of repeated standups from a chair with incremental increases in the standup frequency. [Results] Single regression analysis using CEST-peak VO2 as the dependent variable and the number of standups, walking distance, and walking distance, as independent variables gave the comparable regression formulae of: CEST-peak VO2=0.12×number of standups in IRST+8.26; CEST-peak VO2=0.02×walking distance in the 6MWD+3.48; and CEST-peak VO2=0.02×walking distance in the ISWT+6.48, respectively. [Conclusion] The IRST is a potential substitute field test for the 6MWD and ISWT because it has comparable predictive ability and can be conducted in a very limited space.