A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE REFERENCE VALUES FOR TWO MINUTE WALK DISTANCE IN HEALTHY INDIAN ADULTS

Abstract

Background: The use of functional scales to assess the prognosis of the individuals is widely being encouraged by the International classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Two, six and twelve minute walk tests are the existing functional walk tests, among which 6MWT is being considered as the gold standard. Patients in acute stages of illnesses and early stages of recovery, it is difficult and tiring to accomplish a 6MWT. 2MWT is presently being used as a pre and post-test. To comment on the status of the patient and the test results in the first attempt, it is necessary to look at the reference values of 2MWT. Purpose of the study: This study aims to establish reference values for 2MWT in healthy Indian adults. Objective of the study: To establish reference values for 2 minute walk distance in healthy Indian adults of 2080 years age. Methods: Three hundred subjects met the inclusion criteria through convenience sampling. Two trials of 2MWT were administered. Instructions for the test were adopted from American Thoracic Society guidelines for 6MWT. Out of the two trials, the one in which more distance was covered by the subject was taken for the analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results: The mean 2MWD was 182.69 + 32.40 meters. 2MWD had shown moderate significant negative correlation with age (r = -0.58) and weak but significant positive correlation with height (r = 0.35). The correlations with weight (r= 0.1) and BMI (r= -0.13) were found to be negligible. It was also found that males walked 21.55 + 3.5 meters more than females and aye2MWD during the second trial was found to be 3.011 + 1.44 meters greater than the first trial. Conclusion: The average distance covered by a healthy Indian individual is approximately 182.69 + 32.40 meters in 2 minutes duration. Implication: Patients in early stages of rehabilitation, early post-operative period and patients with severe disability, found 6MWT difficult, intolerable, time consuming and too fatiguing. So, 2MWT is being used as an outcome scale of priority in these populations recently. It is clinically more useful when compared to 6MWT.