Objective: To establish normal reference standards for six minute walk test of children aged between 7-12 y in India.
Methods: Healthy children aged between 7 to 12 y were recruited randomly from the selected schools in India. 400 children were included .Six minute walk test (MWT) was performed according to standardized ATS guidelines. Distance walked in 6 min, Heart rate (HR), Blood pressure (BP), Oxygen saturation, anthropometric measurements and level of dyspnea were taken as outcome measures.
Results: Mean distance walked in 6 min was 609 ± 166 m, with significant difference between boys and girls( p < 0.001). Boys covered more distance than girls. Heart rate increased from a baseline of 82.73 ± 1.63 to a maximum of 104.32 ± 3.11; heart rate recovery occurred at 5 min in both the genders. SBP increased from baseline 109 ± 2.38 to maximum of 121.86 ± 1.75 at the end of the test, with no significant increase in DBP which was 68.51 ± 2.21 and 69 ± 2.78 at the end of the test. No significant change in oxygen saturation and dyspnea was observed during the test. Mean oxygen saturation was 97% at baseline, with an immediate drop of 96%.
Conclusions: In this study, the mean distance covered in 6 min by boys was 670.74 ± 86.21 m and girls were 548.93 ± 44.78 m.