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The six-minute walk--an adequate exercise test for pacemaker patients?
H Langenfeld1, B Schneider, W Grimm
1University Hospital of Internal Medicine, Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : PACE
|December 1, 1990
Summary
The 6-minute walk test is a practical alternative exercise test for pacemaker patients, showing good correlation with bicycle ergometry and high patient preference due to its relation to daily activities.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Bicycle and treadmill ergometry are often not feasible for pacemaker patients.
- Alternative exercise testing methods are needed for this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and correlation of a 6-minute walk test as an alternative exercise assessment in pacemaker patients.
- To compare patient preference for the 6-minute walk test versus traditional ergometry.
Main Methods:
- 97 pacemaker patients performed a self-paced 6-minute walk on a 20-m corridor.
- Results were compared with bicycle ergometry (n=42) and treadmill exercise (n=92).
Main Results:
- The 6-minute walk showed slightly lower performance (49 W) and maximal heart rate (96 bpm) compared to bicycle (57 W, 110 bpm) and treadmill (50 W, 102 bpm) ergometry.
- A strong correlation (r=0.74) was observed between the 6-minute walk and bicycle ergometry.
- Patients overwhelmingly preferred the 6-minute walk test, citing its relevance to daily physical activity.
Conclusions:
- The 6-minute walk test is a simple, physiological, and well-tolerated exercise test for most pacemaker patients.
- It demonstrates good correlation with established ergometry methods and offers superior patient acceptance and practicality.