Aerobic fitness values were generally below average , although 6-minute walk time was closer to population norms .
Upper and lower extremity strength was lower than population norms for women who were currently receiving cancer treatment .
Lower extremity strength was above population norms for women who had completed treatment .
Aerobic capacity and upper extremity strength in women diagnosed with breast cancer are generally lower than population norms .
QUESTION What are typical values of physical function for women diagnosed with breast cancer and how do these compare to normative data ?
Peak Oxygen Consumption as a Predictor of Death in Patients With Heart Failure Receiving β-Blockers
Background —Peak oxygen uptake ( peak & OV0312;o2 ) is a strong predictor of mortality and is commonly used in the evaluation of patients for cardiac transplantation .  β-Blockers reduce mortality in patients with heart failure , without influencing peak & OV0312;o2 , raising the possibility that peak & OV0312;o2 is no longer suitable as an indicator of prognosis in these patients . Methods and Results —We analyzed prospect ively gathered data on 2105 patients referred for cardiopulmonary testing for all-cause mortality and for occurrence of death or transplantation . Patients receiving β-blockers were younger , more likely to have coronary disease , and had a greater mean ejection fraction but had a similar peak & OV0312;o2 . There were 555 deaths ( 26 % ) and 194 ( 9 % ) transplants during a median follow-up of 3.5 years . Peak & OV0312;o2 was a predictor of mortality irrespective of β-blocker use ; a decrease of 1 mL · kg−1 · min−1 result ed in an adjusted hazard ratio ( HR ) of 1.13 ( 95 % CI 1.09 to 1.17 , P<0.0001 ) in patients not receiving β-blockers and 1.27 ( 95 % CI 1.18 to 1.36 , P<0.0001 ) in patients receiving β-blockers . Similar findings were noted when considering death or transplantation as an end point . β-Blocker use was associated with better outcomes until peak & OV0312;o2 values became very low ( ≈10 mL · kg−1 · min−1 ) , at which level survival rates were equally poor . Conclusion —Peak & OV0312;o2 is a determinant of survival in patients in heart failure even in the setting of β-blockade . Because of improved survival in patients treated with  β-blockers , the cut point value of 14 mg · kg−1 · min−1 for referral for cardiac transplantation in these patients requires reevaluation , and a lower cut point may be more appropriate
Aerobic fitness values were generally below average , although 6-minute walk time was closer to population norms .
Upper and lower extremity strength was lower than population norms for women who were currently receiving cancer treatment .
Lower extremity strength was above population norms for women who had completed treatment .
Aerobic capacity and upper extremity strength in women diagnosed with breast cancer are generally lower than population norms .
QUESTION What are typical values of physical function for women diagnosed with breast cancer and how do these compare to normative data ?