Association of six minute walk test with spirometry parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

Abstract

Introduction: A significant health issue on a global scale is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The gold standard for determining a COPD diagnosis and severity is spirometry. The patient's functional ability is evaluated using the 6MWT, a basic, reliable test. It aids in prognostic prediction and management. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the results of the 6MWT correlated with the patient's clinical and spirometric characteristics. The study also examined whether the six-minute walk distance (6MWD) may serve as a substitute for spirometry in determining the severity of COPD in settings with scarce resources. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a hospital. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 70 consecutive patients with proven COPD (according to GOLD recommendations) were included in the study. Pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry tests were used to gauge severity. According to ATS recommendations, 6MWT was then performed and noted. The 6MWT results were associated with the patients' spirometric and clinical data. Results: It was found that, there was a statistically positive and highly significant (p<0.01) correlation between 6minute walk test values and % predicted FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio of spirometry in COPD study participants. Conclusions: This study found a significant positive association between patients’ spirometry parameters (%FEV1, FVC, FEV/FVC) and 6MWD. Thus, 6MWT can be used to determine the severity of COPD. Keywords: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 6-minute walk test, Spirometry