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Chester step test in patients with COPD: reliability and correlation with pulmonary function test results
Anderson Alves de Camargo1, Tatiana Justino, Carlos Henrique Silva de Andrade
1School of Physiotherapy, Department of Health, Rehabilitation Science Master's Program, Nove de Julho University, Bairro Água Branca, São Paulo, Brazil.
Respiratory Care
|July 12, 2011
Summary
The Chester step test is reproducible in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but too short. Adaptation is needed for this COPD exercise test.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Cardiorespiratory Fitness Assessment
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Management
Background:
- The 5-stage Chester step test is a validated measure of aerobic capacity in healthy individuals.
- Its reliability and applicability in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unestablished.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reproducibility of the Chester step test in COPD patients.
- To investigate the correlation between Chester step test results and established pulmonary function and exercise tests.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-two COPD patients (mean FEV(1) 46 ± 15% predicted) completed two Chester step tests and two 6-minute walk tests on separate occasions.
- A subset of 11 patients underwent incremental cycle ergometry.
Main Results:
- The Chester step test demonstrated high reproducibility in terms of the number of steps completed (66 ± 41 vs. 68 ± 41).
- Significant correlations were found between the number of steps and FEV(1) (r=0.43), 6-minute walk distance (r=0.60), and peak workload during cycle ergometry (r=0.69).
- Oxygen uptake estimated from the Chester step test was notably higher than that measured during cycle ergometry.
Conclusions:
- While reproducible, the Chester step test's duration was very limited in COPD patients, suggesting the step increments may be too large.
- Modifications to the Chester step test protocol are recommended for effective use in COPD populations.
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