Use of One-minute Sit-to-stand Test to Predict Functional Exercise Capacity in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

Field tests are commonly used as complements of cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) to evaluate the functional exercise capacity. The aims of this study were to validate the one-minute sit-to-stand test (STST) in congenital heart disease (CHD) children and to evaluate the possibility of predicting the peakVO₂ using the STST in this paediatric population.

Children (8- to 18-year-old) followed for a CHD and performing CPET were recruited prospectively. Concomitantly, they performed STST. The heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), muscular fatigue and dyspnoea were recorded before (t0), immediately after (t1) and 1min after the end of the STST (t2).

We observed a poor but significant correlation between the STST and the peakVO₂ (r=0.306; p=0.013). A significant difference between girls and boys were observed for peakVO₂ (p<0.001), HR t0 (p=0.030), HR t1 (p=0.002) and HR t2 (p<0.001). The proposed model of prediction, including the number of STST, weight, height and age explains 37% of the predicted peakVO₂ variance.

The STST can provide relevant data on physical capacity in children with CHD. When CPET cannot be performed, we therefore propose an alternative equation using the STST as a surrogate of peakVO₂ in CHD children.