BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a validated field test in the assessment of @entity401 but may not be so useful in @entity2631 (SSc) @entity358 . The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of the 6MWT in @entity1 with SSc and correlate results with morphological and functional measures of disease severity. METHODS: Thirty @entity1 (24 female, mean age 47, mean diffusing capacity of @entity1223 65%, vital capacity 77% predicted) with American College of Rheumatology classification of SSc performed two 6MWT using various oximetry sites, 1 week apart, and underwent SSc-specific disease severity and quality-of-life measurements, lung function, high-resolution computed tomography and echocardiography. RESULTS: There was good reliability between the two 6MWT (distance; intraclass correlation coefficient 0.95, r = 0.89, Borg; intraclass correlation coefficient 0.85, r = 0.91, both P < 0.00 for r), and Bland Altman plots demonstrate good agreement between measures 1 week apart. Forehead and finger oximetry were more reliable than earlobe (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.64, 0.60, 0.24; r = 0.46, 0.47, 0.14; n = 22, 17, 7, respectively). Forehead desaturation correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r = 0.55, P = 0.01) and forced vital capacity (r = 0.59, P = 0.01). Distance correlated with all physiological measures: forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r = 0.55, P = 0.01), forced vital capacity (r = 0.61, P = 0.01) and diffusing capacity of @entity1223 (r = 0.42, P = 0.05). Computed tomography extent and patterns of disease correlated poorly with 6MWT measures, and global measures of SSc correlated only with post-test Borg score. CONCLUSIONS: The 6MWT is feasible and reliable in @entity358 , but forehead oximetry should be used. The test measurements correlate reasonably but variably with functional and morphological measures of disease severity.

The six-minute walk test using forehead oximetry is reliable in the assessment of XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity1223 :: ('MESH:D002248', 'Chemical') :: ['carbon monoxide'] @entity2631 :: ('MESH:D012594', 'Disease') :: ['scleroderma'] @entity358 :: ('MESH:D008171', 'Disease') :: ['lung disease', 'SSc lung disease'] @entity401 :: ('MESH:D017563', 'Disease') :: ['interstitial lung disease']
@entity358 :: (MESH:D008171,Disease) :: ['scleroderma lung disease']
