Objective assessment of the cardiorespiratory function of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis through the six-minute walk test.
METHODS
Clinical prospective, random study.


OBJECTIVE
Analyze the results of the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.


BACKGROUND
Although it is widely believed that Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) causes cardiorespiratory dysfunctions, there is no report in literature of objective measurements of this restriction in the ventilatory performance during physical exertion.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-six adolescents matched by gender and age were prospectively studied at a tertiary teaching institution: 40 patients without spine deformities (group I-controls), and 86 patients with AIS with a spine curve ranging from 45 degrees to 138 degrees (group II). All patients underwent radiographic evaluations and the 6MWT.


RESULTS
Normal controls presented significantly lower mean heart rate and Borg scores, as well as higher oxygen saturation and walked longer distances on the 6MWT.


CONCLUSIONS
The 6MWT effectively demonstrated the cardiorespiratory restrictions presented by patients with AIS.
Alves
Vera Lúcia dos Santos
VL
Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Santa Isabel Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. fisioterapiasc@uol.com.br
Avanzi
Osmar
O
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
D010100:Oxygen