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4-meter walk test in patients with Parkinson's disease: A reliability and validity study
Taskin Ozkan1, Fatih Soke2, Nigar Esra Erkoc Ataoglu3
1Giresun University, Vocational School of Health Services, Therapy and Rehabilitation, Giresun, Turkey.
Objective:
The purpose of the study was to examine the test-retest reliability of the 4-Meter Walk Test (4-MWT), the minimum detectable change (MDC) in the 4-MWT, and the concurrent and known-group validity of the 4-MWT in patients with Parkinson Disease (PwPD).
Design:
A total of 42 PwPD and 33 healthy people participated in this study. Reliability was quantified using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and the MDC. The 4-MWT was administered with a fast walking protocol. Validity was assessed by correlating the 4-MWT times with the scores of the 10-Meter Walk Test (10-MWT), the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), the Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test, the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG-Q), the Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) Scale, and the Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). The 4-MWT times were also compared between fallers and non-fallers among PwPD.
Results:
The 4-MWT demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (ICC= 0.957). The MDC was determined as 0.14 m/s. The 4-MWT had fair to excellent correlations with the other outcome measures (correlation coefficients ranged from -0.428-0.937; p < 0.05 for all). Significant differences in the 4-MWT were found between fallers and non-fallers with PwPD (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
The 4-MWT has excellent test-retest reliability, concurrent and known-group validity for PwPD. 4-MWT may be a useful test method for assessing forward walking in the absence of adequate space and equipment in order to monitor the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of the treatments applied.
Insights
The 4-Meter Walk Test (4-MWT) reliably measures walking ability in Parkinson Disease patients. It shows excellent validity for assessing disease progression and treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Movement Disorders
Background:
- Parkinson Disease (PD) significantly impacts mobility and quality of life.
- Objective measures are crucial for tracking PD progression and treatment efficacy.
- Gait assessments are vital for understanding functional limitations in PD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the test-retest reliability of the 4-Meter Walk Test (4-MWT).
- To determine the minimum detectable change (MDC) for the 4-MWT.
- To assess the concurrent and known-group validity of the 4-MWT in patients with Parkinson Disease (PwPD).
Main Methods:
- 42 PwPD and 33 healthy controls participated.
- Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and MDC quantified reliability.
- Validity assessed via correlations with established gait and PD scales (10-MWT, DGI, TUG, FOG-Q, H&Y, MDS-UPDRS).
- Comparison of 4-MWT times between fallers and non-fallers in PwPD.
Main Results:
- Excellent test-retest reliability for the 4-MWT (ICC = 0.957).
- Minimum detectable change (MDC) established at 0.14 m/s.
- Fair to excellent correlations observed between 4-MWT and other measures (r = -0.428 to 0.937, p < 0.05).
- Significant differences in 4-MWT performance between fallers and non-fallers (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- The 4-MWT demonstrates excellent reliability and validity for PwPD.
- It is a practical tool for assessing walking in limited spaces.
- The 4-MWT can monitor PD progression and treatment response effectively.
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