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Published on: January 12, 2019
The 6-minute walk test: normal values for children of 4-11 years of age
A E Lammers1, A A Hislop, Y Flynn
1Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK. astridlammers@gmx.de
Insights
This study establishes normal values for the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in healthy children aged 4-11 years. The findings provide a benchmark for assessing exercise capacity in pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Exercise Physiology
- Clinical Assessment Tools
- Biostatistics
Background:
- The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a standard measure of exercise capacity.
- Normal reference values for the 6MWT are lacking for healthy children under 12 years.
- This gap limits the interpretation of test results in pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normal reference values for the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in healthy children aged 4 to 11 years.
- To provide a benchmark for assessing exercise capacity in children.
- To facilitate the evaluation of therapeutic interventions in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective recruitment of 328 healthy children aged 4-11 years from UK primary schools and a hospital setting.
- Measurement of the distance walked in 6 minutes (6MWD).
- Monitoring of oxygen saturation and heart rate during the test and recovery period.
Main Results:
- The mean 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) was 470+/-59 meters.
- 6MWD significantly correlated with age (r=0.64), weight (r=0.51), and height (r=0.65).
- Distance increased annually from age 4 to 7 years, with modest increases thereafter. Mean oxygen saturation remained high (97-99%).
Conclusions:
- The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a feasible and practical assessment in young children.
- This study provides crucial normative data for healthy children.
- These reference values enable better clinical judgment of pediatric patients' exercise capacity and response to treatment.
Objective:
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is an established measure of exercise capacity in adults and children with chronic cardiac or respiratory disease. Despite its widespread use, there are no normal values for healthy children under 12 years of age. We aimed to provide normal values for children between 4 and 11 years.
Methods:
Healthy children were recruited prospectively from two UK primary schools and also children visiting Great Ormond Street Hospital. 328 children (54% male) aged 4 to 11 years were included in the study. Main outcome measures were the distance walked in 6 minutes, and oxygen saturation and heart rate during the 6 minutes and during a 3-minute recovery period.
Results:
Mean oxygen saturation at baseline and during the 6MWT was 97-99%. Heart rate increased from 102+/-19 bpm at baseline to a maximum of 136+/-12 bpm. Overall, the mean distance walked in 6 minutes was 470+/-59 m. Distance walked correlated with age (r = 0.64, p<0.0001), weight (r = 0.51, p<0.0001) and height (r = 0.65, p<0.0001) with no significant difference between boys and girls. The distance walked increased significantly year on year from 4 to 7 years (4 years 383+/-41 m; 5 years 420+/-39 m, 6 years 463+/-40 m; 7 years 488+/-35 m; p<0.05 between each); further modest increases were observed beyond 7 years of age.
Conclusions:
Performing a 6MWT is feasible and practical in young children. This study provides data on normal children against which the performance of sick children and the response to therapeutic intervention can be judged.
