Pharmacological trials including patients with more severe heart failure were more likely to show a significant improvement with therapy than trials of milder heart failure .
Using mean values in these trials , the age of patients appeared a more important determinant of 6MWT distance than New York Heart Association classification .
The 6MWT has not yet been proven to be a robust test for the identification of effective pharmacological interventions although it appears useful for the assessment of cardiac resynchronization therapy .
The results of the 6MWT were concordant with changes in symptoms , suggesting that it may be used as supportive evidence for symptom benefit .
AIMS The 6 min walk test ( 6MWT ) is commonly used in clinical trials to assess treatments for heart failure , but its ability to distinguish between effective and ineffective treatments is question able .
The aim of this study is to investigate , using a systematic literature review , the utility of the 6MWT as a measure of the effectiveness of treatment in r and omized controlled trials of heart failure .
Perindopril improves six minute walking distance in older patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction: a randomised double blind placebo controlled trial
Objective : To evaluate the effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril on six minute walking distance and quality of life in very old patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction . Design : Prospect i ve , double blind placebo controlled trial . Setting : Medicine for the elderly day hospital . Patients : 66 patients ( average age 81 ) with left ventricular systolic dysfunction identified by echocardiography . Interventions : 10 weeks of treatment with titrated doses of perindopril or placebo . Main outcome measures : Six minute walking distance 10 weeks following treatment , quality of life measurements including the Minnesota living with heart failure question naire and the 36 item short form health survey . Results : In patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction , six minute walking distance was significantly increased in the treatment group ( 37.1 m ) compared with the placebo group ( −0.3 m , p < 0.001 ) . The medication was well tolerated and there were no significant adverse events . Conclusions : Six minute walking distance is improved considerably by treatment with perindopril in older patients with heart failure caused by left ventricular systolic dysfunction
Pharmacological trials including patients with more severe heart failure were more likely to show a significant improvement with therapy than trials of milder heart failure .
Using mean values in these trials , the age of patients appeared a more important determinant of 6MWT distance than New York Heart Association classification .
The 6MWT has not yet been proven to be a robust test for the identification of effective pharmacological interventions although it appears useful for the assessment of cardiac resynchronization therapy .
The results of the 6MWT were concordant with changes in symptoms , suggesting that it may be used as supportive evidence for symptom benefit .
AIMS The 6 min walk test ( 6MWT ) is commonly used in clinical trials to assess treatments for heart failure , but its ability to distinguish between effective and ineffective treatments is question able .
The aim of this study is to investigate , using a systematic literature review , the utility of the 6MWT as a measure of the effectiveness of treatment in r and omized controlled trials of heart failure .