@article {Holland994, author = {Anne E Holland and Catherine J Hill and Leona Dowman and Ian Glaspole and Nicole Goh and Annemarie L Lee and Christine F McDonald}, title = {Short- and Long-Term Reliability of the 6-Minute Walk Test in People With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis}, volume = {63}, number = {8}, pages = {994--1001}, year = {2018}, doi = {10.4187/respcare.05875}, publisher = {Respiratory Care}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to investigate the short- and long-term test-retest reliability of the 6-min walk distance (6MWD), peak heart rate, and nadir oxygen desaturation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).METHODS: A reliability study of 70 adults with IPF was undertaken within out-patient pulmonary rehabilitation programs at 2 tertiary hospitals. Participants completed 2 baseline 6-min walk tests using a standard protocol, with continuous measures of percutaneous SpO2 and heart rate via pulse oximetry. The 6-min walk test was completed immediately following an intervention period and 6 months after. Reproducibility was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis.RESULTS: Participants with a mean {\textpm} SD diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide of 48 {\textpm} 14\% were included. The reliability of the 6MWD was high (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96) with a mean learning effect of 21 m (95\% CI 12{\textendash}30 m). The learning effect persisted at 8 weeks (mean 14 m, 95\% CI 5{\textendash}23 m) but not 6 months (mean 15 m, 95\% CI -1 to 30 m). Using the best (greatest) 6MWD significantly reduced the proportion of participants who were classified as having a clinically important response to rehabilitation compared with using the first 6MWD (40\% vs 54\%, P = .002). Nadir SpO2 was reproducible, with a mean difference of 0.7 {\textpm} 2.2\%, and limits of agreement of -4 to 5\%. Peak heart rate was more variable, with mean difference 5 {\textpm} 9 beats/min and limits of agreement of -12 to 20 beats/min.CONCLUSIONS: The 6MWD is a reproducible measure of exercise capacity in people with IPF. Whereas the nadir SpO2 may be accurately determined from one test, evaluating change in 6MWD with interventions may require 2 tests on each occasion. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT0016828.)}, issn = {0020-1324}, URL = {https://rc.rcjournal.com/content/63/8/994}, eprint = {https://rc.rcjournal.com/content/63/8/994.full.pdf}, journal = {Respiratory Care} }