The relationship between six-minute walked distance and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure.

Objectives. To assess the relationship between the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods. Forty-six patients (37 men and 9 women) with chronic heart failure, mean age 68 (SD 9), NYHA II-III and EF 29 (9) % were included. They performed 6MWT and assessed HRQL using two tools, a Swedish version of the 36-item Short Form (SF-36) and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). This was performed repeatedly during a study period of one year. Results. Patients with a walking distance lower than median experienced a lower HRQL than the higher performing half of the cohort, in four dimensions of the SF-36 and the summary of physical and mental components, but not in the dimensions of MLHFQ. Conclusion. Patients with heart failure with a short walking distance assessed their quality of life as inferior in half of the dimensions in the SF-36 but not in the dimensions measured with the MLHFQ. Thus, different aspects of the symptomatology are uncovered using the 6MWT and the different HRQL tools.

Comparison of the 6-minute walk distance measured on a 30 m track with guidance of a healthcare professional and those measured with a mobile application outdoors by participants themselves: a validation study.

To improve the practical application of measuring exercise capacity, the purpose of this study was to compare the 6 min walk distance (6MWD) obtained at a 30 m track with the guidance of healthcare professionals vs. the 6MWD obtained by participants themselves using an app. In total, 37 participants performed both tests. The mean of the differences between the 6MWD on the tests was -4 ± 45 m (95% limits of agreement: 84 to -99 m). The overall agreement between the two 6MWD measures was 97% with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.96 (95% confidence interval: 0.91-0.98, P < 0.001). The use of an app is feasible, reliable, and valid to assess the 6MWD.

Test-retest reliability of six-minute walk tests over a one-year period in patients with chronic heart failure.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to determine the test-retest reliability of the duplicated six-minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with chronic heart failure (HF), and to evaluate its variation over time. METHODS: Forty-six patients (9 women) with HF performed duplicated 6MWT every third month for 1 year (5 follow-ups), for a total of 198 paired tests. The patients completed two 6MWT on the same day with a 45-min seated rest between tests. RESULTS: The mean distance in metres, for the first (6MWT1) versus the second (6MWT2), for each follow-up, was 408 ± 100 versus 411 ± 96, 449 ± 94 versus 465 ± 94, 464 ± 96 versus 473 ± 100, 462 ± 103 versus 468 ± 104 and 472 ± 105 versus 482 ± 107. On average, a marginally, clinically insignificant longer walked distance, 9 m (2.0%), was seen in the second 6MWT. The standard error of a single determination (Smethod ) ranged from 2.4% to 3.9% over the study period, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ranged from 0.96 to 0.99 (CI 95% 0.94-0.99). The variation over time of ICC or Smethod was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The 6MWT is highly reliable over time in patients with HF, and one test is, therefore, sufficient in clinical follow-ups.

Peripheral muscle training with resistance exercise bands in patients with chronic heart failure. Long-term effects on walking distance and quality of life; a pilot study.

AIMS: This study aimed to describe a method of peripheral muscle training with resistance bands in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and to evaluate its effects on the 6 min walk test and quality of life up to 12 months using a home-based programme. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-two patients with stable CHF (19 men and 3 women), mean age 63.2 years (SD 8.1), New York Heart Association class II-III were randomized to individual home-based training (HT group), or home-based training with a group-based start-up in a hospital setting (GT group). A 6 min walk test, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), and Short Form with 36 items (SF-36) were administered at baseline and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Exercise training resulted in statistically significant increased walking distance in both groups. The HT group increased on average 107 (80) m from baseline to 12 months, and the GT group by 100 (96) m. Health-related quality of life, measured with MLHFQ and SF-36, reached statistically significant improvements in both groups but at different time points. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on any parameters or follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term home-based peripheral muscle training in patients with CHF, with or without an introductory period in a hospital setting, can be used for initial improvement and retention of walking distance and health-related quality of life.