Six minutes-walk test in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients complicated by pulmonary hypertension diagnosed by echocardiography

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Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is heterogenous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms. Aim To assess 6 minutes-walk-test in COPD patients who develop secondary pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosed by echocardiography. Patients and methods This comparative interventional study included 30 individuals categorized into three equal groups: group I: healthy persons (mean age 38.90±4.53), group II: COPD patients (mean age 46.40±4.65) and group III: COPD patients complicated with secondary PH (mean age 58.00±4.37). Results There was significant positive correlation between 6 min-walk distance and forced expiratory volume in one sec (FEV1) % of predicted, forced vital capacity (FVC)% of predicted, FEV1/FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow rate, Forced expiratory flow 25–75%, partial pressure of oxygen, oxygen saturation level, tricusped annular plane systolic excursion and pulmonary acceleration time. There was a significant negative correlation between 6 min-walk distance and partial pressure of carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricle diameter, right arterial diameter, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) score, COPD assessment test (CAT) score, duration of disease and smoking. There was significant positive correlation between mMRC and CAT score and partial pressure of carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricle diameter and right arterial diameter. There was significant negative correlation between mMRC score and CAT score and FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, FVC, peak expiratory flow rate, Forced expiratory flow 25–75% of predicted, Partial pressure of oxygen, oxygen saturation level, tricusped annular plane systolic excursion, and pulmonary acceleration time. Conclusion PH occurrence among those having COPD is linked to a bad life quality. Six minutes-walk-test exhibits correlation with dyspnea severity among those having COPD.