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 .
Safety and efficacy of valsartan versus enalapril in heart failure patients.
Although a cornerstone in the treatment of heart failure , angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are under-used , partly due to side effects . If proven at least similarly efficacious to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors , angiotensin-receptor blockers may replace them due to their superior tolerability . We aim ed to compare the efficacy and safety of valsartan and enalapril in heart failure patients stabilised on an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor . We r and omised 141 patients ( mean 68 years , 74 % males ) with stable mild/moderate heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction 0.45 or less , to valsartan 160 mg q.d . ( n=70 ) or enalapril 10 mg b.i.d . ( n=71 ) for 12 weeks . Changes in 6-min-walk test ( primary efficacy variable ) , patients ' wellbeing and left ventricular size and function did not differ significantly between the treatment groups . Valsartan was significantly non-inferior to enalapril in walk test distance change : least-square means treatment difference + 1.12 m ( 95 % confidence interval -21.9 to 24.1 ) , non-inferiority P<0.001 . Left ventricular size ( P<0.001 ) and function ( P=0.048 ) improved significantly only in the valsartan group . Fewer patients experienced adverse events in the valsartan group ( 50 % ) than in the enalapril group ( 63 % ) , although statistically non-significant . Valsartan is similarly efficacious and safe to enalapril in patients with stable , mild/moderate heart failure , previously stabilised on an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and directly switched to study medication
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 .