Abstract P174: Value Of Six Minute Walk Test In The Evaluation Of Children With Elevated Blood Pressures

Abstract

Lifestyle modifications, a mainstay of hypertension (HTN) therapy, include recommendations for regular physical activity. However, fitness is not typically assessed. In the HTN clinic at Seattle Children’s, we conduct the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in children > 6 yrs referred for HTN. We sought to assess whether children referred for HTN underperform on the 6MWT. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients seen from 9/1/18 - 9/30/19 who completed an ambulatory blood pressure monitor (ABPM) and 6MWT. Chart review included ABPM results, age, sex, BMI z-score, self-reported physical activity (RepPA) levels, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and comorbid conditions. Exclusion criteria included lack of ABPM, 6MWT or compromised exercise capacity. ABPM was classified according to the 2014 AHA guidelines and 6MWT was compared to normative datasets. Fisher’s Exact test was used to compare the distributions of distance from mean values for the 6MWT and ANOVA was used to compare mean BMI z-score and RPE among groups. Linear regression assessed 6MWT with HTN status, adjusted for age, sex, and BMI z-score. Results: Demographics and clinical measures are summarized in Table 1. RepPA, 6MWT and RPE did not differ significantly. Most children underachieved regardless of group; the distance walked was > 2 SD below mean in 31 of 52 (60%). BMI z-score was significantly higher in the abnormal ABPM group. Linear regression showed no effect of HTN status. Conclusion: Most children underperformed on the 6MWT and results did not differ based on HTN status. This study suggests the 6MWT is useful to assess fitness in this population and serves as baseline for comparison.