క్లినికల్ & ప్రయోగాత్మక కార్డియాలజీ
అందరికి ప్రవేశం

నైరూప్య

Validation of Three-Minute Walk Test for the Assessment of Functional Capacity among Patients with Hypertension

Adeoye F Ibikunle, Rufus A Adedoyin , Taofeek O Awotidebe, Olufesola M Fasakin, , Ada M Okonji, Marufat O Odetunde, Abayomi A Olawoye, , Michael O.

Objective: Time to complete six-minute walk test (6-MWT) could be cumbersome in a busy clinical setting. However, it is not known whether a shorter duration of three-minute walk test (3-MWT) is capable of assessing valid functional capacity (FC). This study investigated the validity and responsiveness of 3-MWT among patients with hypertension.

Methods: This correlational study involved 150 patients with mild to moderate hypertension recruited from a Nigerian university teaching hospital using purposive sampling technique. Anthropometric indices, sociodemographic characteristics and cardiovascular parameters were recorded. FC was assessed using the two walk tests. Participants underwent four trials of the 3-MWT as well as 6-MWT in a random order on a 30 m level ground corridor. The walk tests were performed on four different occasions over a period of four weeks at one-week interval. FC (maximum oxygen consumption: VO2 max) was estimated. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was at p<0.05.

Results: The means of distance walked for 3-MWT and 6-MWT were 194.76 ± 36.50 m and 377.87 ± 66.73 m respectively. There were significant correlations between distance walked during 3-MWT and derived VO2 max from 6-MWT (r=0.937; p=0.001). The 3-MWT and 6-MWT on Cronbach’s α and Intra-class correlation coefficient (3- MWT: ICC=0.998) and (6-MWT: ICC=0.997) respectively at 95% confidence interval (CI: -2.14 – -1.14). The effect size for the responsiveness of 3-MWT and 6-MWT were 0.16 and 0.27 respectively. Age, weight and height were important predictors of FC.

Conclusion: The 3-MWT is valid and responsive for assessing functional capacity among patients with hypertension