title: Aerobic intensity and pacing pattern during the six-minute walk test in patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the aerobic intensity level and pacing pattern during the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in persons with multiple sclerosis, taking into account time of day, fatigue, disability level and multiple sclerosis subtype.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty multiple sclerosis patients (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS ≤ 6.5).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants performed the 6MWT at 3 different time-points (morning, noon, afternoon) during 1 day. Heart rate and pacing strategy (distance covered every minute) were registered. A sub-group analysis determined the effects of fatigue, disability level and multiple sclerosis subtype.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relative aerobic intensity was constant throughout the day (67 ± 10% of estimated maximal heart rate). In all sub-groups heart rate increased and distance walked declined after the first minute (p < 0.001). The mild EDSS sub-group showed a slightly larger increase throughout the 6MWT in heart rate development, while no differences were seen in sub-groups of fatigue and multiple sclerosis subtype. In most sub-groups walking speed was fastest in the first minute and constant during the final 4 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with multiple sclerosis aerobic intensity is moderate during the 6MWT and unaffected by time of day. Disability may have some influence on aerobic intensity, but not on pacing strategy during the 6MWT, whereas neither fatigue nor multiple sclerosis subtype has any effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science , University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark. dalgas@sport.au.dk.
authors.forename: Ulrik
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dalgas
authors.forename: Tue
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kjølhede
authors.forename: Domien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gijbels
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romberg
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santoyo
authors.forename: Benoit Maertens
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: de Noordhout
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Knuts
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Feys
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology