Good repeatability ( for the 6MWT and ESWT ) and reproducibility ( for the 6MWT , 12-minute walk test , ISWT , ESWT , and incremental cycle ergometer test ) were reported by most studies assessing these tests , providing patients were familiarized with them beforeh and .
The 6MWT , ISWT , and particularly the ESWT were reported to be sensitive to therapeutic intervention .
Exercise tests are often used to evaluate the functional status of patients with COPD .
However , to the best of our knowledge , a comprehensive systematic comparison of these tests has not been performed .
We systematic ally review ed studies reporting the repeatability and /or reproducibility of these tests , and studies comparing their sensitivity to therapeutic intervention .
The use of the 12 minute walking test in assessing the effect of oral steroid therapy in patients with chronic airways obstruction.
The reproducibility of the 12 minute walking distance ( 12 MD ) was assessed in ten men with chronic airways obstruction , and the 12 MD was used , together with spirometry , transfer factor and three subjective assessment s of breathlessness to evaluate the effects on respiratory function of prednisone 30 mg daily given orally in double-blind placebo-controlled fashion for two weeks . Like others , we found the 12 MD reproducible on a single day with a mean variation of 3.1 % . Tests performed two weeks apart showed greater variability ranging from 0.2 % to 30.9 % , ( mean 9.1 % ) . During placebo and prednisone therapy the 12 MD and assessment s of breathlessness correlated significantly with each other and with TLCO , but not with spirometry . Following steroid therapy there was a significant increase in mean TLCO but no significant change in 12 MD , spirometry or subjective assessment s. Changes in 12 MD and TLCO correlated significantly with each other and with changes in subjective assessment s. Changes in FEV1 correlated with changes in breathlessness , and also with variability in FEV1 while receiving placebo . Individuals with the greatest changes in 12 MD and FEV1 were those with the greatest variability on placebo . The variability of the 12 MD and FEV1 should be measured in individuals before using these tests to assess response to steroid therapy
Good repeatability ( for the 6MWT and ESWT ) and reproducibility ( for the 6MWT , 12-minute walk test , ISWT , ESWT , and incremental cycle ergometer test ) were reported by most studies assessing these tests , providing patients were familiarized with them beforeh and .
The 6MWT , ISWT , and particularly the ESWT were reported to be sensitive to therapeutic intervention .
Exercise tests are often used to evaluate the functional status of patients with COPD .
However , to the best of our knowledge , a comprehensive systematic comparison of these tests has not been performed .
We systematic ally review ed studies reporting the repeatability and /or reproducibility of these tests , and studies comparing their sensitivity to therapeutic intervention .