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[Six minute walk test: From normal to morbid obesity subject]
Luis-Efrén Santos-Martínez1,2, Noé Osegueda-Palomera3, Caleb Montoya-Landa3
1Departamento de Hipertensión Pulmonar y Corazón Derecho, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Cardiología del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de México, México.
Introduction:
Morbid obesity is associated with alterations in the ability to walk, however, the behavior of the 6-minute walk test in subjects with increases in body mass index is unknown.
Objective:
To describe the behavior of the 6-minute walk test in subjects with normal body mass index to morbid obesity.
Methods:
Through an analytical cross-sectional design, subjects of both genders from 18 to 60 years old with body mass index were studied: Normal (BMI:18.5-24.9); overweight (BMI:25-29.9); obesity (BMI:30-39.9); morbid obesity (BMI:>40) kg/m2. A 6-minute walk test was performed, demographic variables and pathological personal history were delimited. BMI categories were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni adjustment, and gender with t-test, both for independent groups, and Pearson's correlations for the various variables.
Results:
480 subjects of both genders were studied in four groups. Age: men 43 ± 11 and women 45 ± 10 years old. Percentage diabetes mellitus (6.7%), arterial hypertension (18.3%). Meters walked men vs. women by body mass index (normal: 483 ± 56 vs. 449 ± 61; overweight: 471 ± 55 vs. 441 ± 44; obesity: 455 ± 70 vs. 421 ± 47; morbid obesity: 443 ± 49 vs. 403 ± 54, p < 0.05). Correlation body mass index-meters walked: r: -0.446 (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
Meters walked in the 6-minute walk test decreased as body mass index increased. The male gender walked more meters in all categories.
