title: The 6-minute walk test as a new outcome measure in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
abstract: Walking abnormalities are prominent in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We modified the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) for use as an outcome measure in patients with DMD and evaluated its performance in 21 ambulatory boys with DMD and 34 healthy boys, ages 4 to 12 years. Boys with DMD were tested twice, approximately 1 week apart; controls were tested once. The groups had similar age, height, and weight. All tests were completed. Boys who fell recovered rapidly from falls without injury. Mean +/- SD [range] 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) was lower in boys with DMD than in controls (366 +/- 83 [125-481] m vs. 621 +/- 68 [479-754] m; P < 0.0001; unpaired t-test). Test-retest correlation for boys with DMD was high (r = 0.91). Stride length (R(2) = 0.89; P < 0.0001) was the major determinant of 6MWD for both boys with DMD and controls. A modified 6MWT is feasible and safe, documents disease-related limitations on ambulation, is reproducible, and offers a new outcome measure for DMD natural history and therapeutic trials.
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, 95817, USA. cmmcdonald@ucdavis.edu
authors: Craig M
authors: CM
authors: McDonald
authors: Erik K
authors: EK
authors: Henricson
authors: Jay J
authors: JJ
authors: Han
authors: R Ted
authors: RT
authors: Abresch
authors: Alina
authors: A
authors: Nicorici
authors: Gary L
authors: GL
authors: Elfring
authors: Leone
authors: L
authors: Atkinson
authors: Allen
authors: A
authors: Reha
authors: Samit
authors: S
authors: Hirawat
authors: Langdon L
authors: LL
authors: Miller
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*