Reference values for the 6-min walk test in healthy children aged 6-12 years.
OBJECTIVE
To establish reference values for the 6-min walk test in healthy children and adolescents aged 6-12 years.


METHODS
This cross-sectional, prospective study selected healthy children and adolescents aged 6-12 years, at three elementary schools in Porto Alegre. The anthropometric data of all the individuals were evaluated and two 6-min walk tests were performed. Based on this, a reference equation was generated, and the test reproducibility was evaluated.


RESULTS
One hundred eighty-eight children (92 boys) performed the test. Pearson correlation showed that age (r = 0.51), height (r = 0.49), difference in heart rate before and after the test (dif. HR) (r = 0.30), and weight (r = 0.29) were significantly correlated with the distance covered in 6 min. The best multiple regression model included these four variables resulting in the following equation: 145.343 + [11.78 x age (years)] + [292.22 x height (m)] + [0.611 x dif. HR (bpm)] - [2.684 x body weight (kg)]. The intraclass correlation coefficient confirmed the reproducibility among tests.


CONCLUSIONS
The reference equation for the 6-min walk test was generated and the distance covered is influenced by age, height, difference in heart rate before and after the test, and body weight.
Priesnitz
Camila Varella
CV
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Rodrigues
Geneviève Horak
GH
Stumpf
Carolina da Silva
Cda S
Viapiana
Giovana
G
Cabral
Cristina Posteraro
CP
Stein
Renato Tetelbom
RT
Marostica
Paulo José Cauduro
PJ
Donadio
Márcio Vinícius Fagundes
MV
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016138:Walking