Clinical determinants of the 6-Minute Walk Test in bronchiectasis

SummaryBackgroundThe 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a widely used measurement of functional exercise capacity in chronic lung disease. While exercise intolerance has been identified in patients with bronchiectasis, the clinical determinants of the 6MWT in this population have not been examined. The aim of this study was to 1) establish the relationship between the 6-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD), disease severity and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and 2) identify predictors of exercise tolerance in adults with bronchiectasis.MethodsThe 6MWT was performed in 27 patients with bronchiectasis (mean [SD] FEV1 73.9% predicted [23.4]). Disease severity was assessed using spirometry and HRCT scoring while HRQOL was evaluated using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36). The relationships were evaluated using correlation and multiple regression.ResultsThe 6MWD correlated positively with FVC (r=0.52, p0.5, p