Six-minute walk test in patients with permanent cardiac pacemakers.
OBJECTIVE
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a simple and reliable method routinely used in the evaluation of many conditions including cardiac diseases. However, it is rarely performed in patients with pacemakers (PMs), and the applicability and safety in this group is not established. The purpose of this study was to verify the applicability and safety of the 6MWT in the evaluation of functional capacity of patients with PMs, considering the ergometry test (ET) as the criterion standard.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with rate-responsive PMs underwent a treadmill ET, using the Chronotropic Assessment Exercise Protocol, and a 6MWT, performed twice with a rest interval of 20 minutes. Functional capacity, heart rate, and blood pressure in each test were recorded.


RESULTS
The distance covered during the 6MWT significantly correlated with the oxygen uptake estimated from the treadmill ET (r = 0.709, P < .001). Peak heart rates and systolic blood pressure levels reached during the 2 tests were also significantly correlated. No adverse events or malignant arrhythmias were observed during the 6MWT. The distance walked during the 6MWT accurately predicted the patient performance on the ET (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.921). The ability to walk more than 538 m in the 6MWT predicted, with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 79%, an estimated oxygen uptake above 10 metabolic equivalents (METs) on the ET.


CONCLUSIONS
The 6MWT can be considered safe to assess the submaximal functional capacity and can be used as an alternative test to evaluate the results of interventions in patients with permanent cardiac PMs.
Pereira de Sousa
Lidiane Aparecida
LA
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Physical Therapy, Laboratório de Avaliação e Pesquisa em Desempenho Cardiorrespiratório, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Britto
Raquel Rodrigues
RR
Ribeiro
Antonio Luiz
AL
Baracho
Sabrina Mattos
SM
da Costa Val Barros
Vladimir
V
Carvalho
Vinícius Tostes
VT
Parreira
Verônica Franco
VF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*