title: The functional exercise capacity is correlated with global functioning in patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is commonly used to measure the functional exercise capacity in chronic patients with cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the 6MWT is associated with the global assessment of functioning (GAF) score in patients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 68 male and 25 female in-patients with schizophrenia (34.6 ± 9.7 years; body mass index = 24.9 ± 4.4) performed a 6MWT and were assessed with the GAF scale and the Psychosis Evaluation tool for Common use by Caregivers (PECC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean distance walked on the 6MWT was 587.3 ± 98.4 m, while the mean GAF score was 52.0 ± 10.4. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between the 6MWT and the GAF score was 0.59 (P < 0.001), indicating a moderate association between both measures. The 6MWT was also significantly related to negative (r = -0.45, P < 0.001), depressive (r = -0.48, P < 0.001) and cognitive (r=, P) symptoms and with body mass index (r = -0.31, P < 0.005), smoking behaviour (r = -0.36, P < 0.001)) and dose of antipsychotic medication (r = -0.38, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Next to the GAF scale, clinicians in in-patient settings should consider incorporating the 6MWT into their test battery to measure the functional consequences of schizophrenia and its treatment.
authors.affiliation: University Psychiatric Centre Catholic University Leuven, Campus Kortenberg, Belgium. davy.vancampfort@uc-kortenberg.be
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vancampfort
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scheewe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knapen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Herdt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Hert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016138:Walking