title: The 6-min walk test: a quick measure of functional status in elderly adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the correlates of the total 6-min walk distance (6MWD) in a population sample of adults > or = 68 years old.
  
  
  METHODS
  The standardized 6-min walk test (6MWT) was administered to the Cardiovascular Health Study cohort during their seventh annual examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3,333 participants with a clinic visit, 2,281 subjects (68%) performed the 6MWT. There were no untoward events. The mean 6MWD was 344 m (SD, 88 m). Independent general correlates of a shorter 6MWD in linear regression models in women and men included the following: older age, higher weight, larger waist, weaker grip strength, symptoms of depression, and decreased mental status. Independent disease or risk factor correlates of a shorter 6MWD included the following: a low ankle BP, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and arthritis in men and women; higher C-reactive protein, diastolic hypertension, and lower FEV(1) in women; and the use of digitalis in men. Approximately 30% of the variance in 6MWD was explained by the linear regression models. Newly described bivariate associations of a shorter 6MWD included impaired activities of daily living; self-reported poor health; less education; nonwhite race; a history of coronary heart disease, transient ischemic attacks, stroke, or diabetes; and higher levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, or WBC count.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most community-dwelling elderly persons can quickly and safely perform this functional status test in the outpatient clinic setting. The test may be used clinically to measure the impact of multiple comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, lung disease, arthritis, diabetes, and cognitive dysfunction and depression, on exercise capacity and endurance in older adults. Expected values should be adjusted for the patient's age, gender, height, and weight.
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona, USA. lungguy@aol.com
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Enright
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McBurnie
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bittner
authors.forename: Russell P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Anne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology