title: The Six-Minute-Walk Test in assessing respiratory function after tumor surgery of the lung: a cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Six-Minute-Walk Test (6-MWT) is an established and well-validated diagnostic procedure in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. The significance of the 6-MWT in the assessment of the respiratory function in tumor patients after lung surgery is yet unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective study included 227 patients following oncological rehabilitation after lobectomy, pneumonectomy or wedge- and segmental resection due to a malignant tumor disease. Spirometry and 6-MWT were performed at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of oncological rehabilitation and correlated with each other. A subgroup analysis on clinically relevant parameters was conducted as well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant improvement of the walking distance measured in 6-MWT as well as of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were detected within the scope of spirometry (all three P<0.01). This effect was demonstrable in all subgroups, except for patients who underwent pneumonectomy. However, a low correlation of the parameters walking distance and FEV1 was observed at both measurement points T1 (rho value =0.21) and T2 (rho value =0.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measuring the walking distance in the 6-MWT could be a suitable parameter to assess respiratory function.
authors.affiliation: 1 Klinik Reinhardshöhe, Klinik für Onkologische Rehabilitation, Quellenstr. 8-12, 34537 Bad Wildungen, Germany ; 2 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA ; 3 Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Klinik für Thoraxchirurgie, Ludwig Erhard Str. 100, 65199 Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rick
authors.affiliation: 1 Klinik Reinhardshöhe, Klinik für Onkologische Rehabilitation, Quellenstr. 8-12, 34537 Bad Wildungen, Germany ; 2 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA ; 3 Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Klinik für Thoraxchirurgie, Ludwig Erhard Str. 100, 65199 Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Tsegaye
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.affiliation: 1 Klinik Reinhardshöhe, Klinik für Onkologische Rehabilitation, Quellenstr. 8-12, 34537 Bad Wildungen, Germany ; 2 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA ; 3 Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Klinik für Thoraxchirurgie, Ludwig Erhard Str. 100, 65199 Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eberlein
authors.affiliation: 1 Klinik Reinhardshöhe, Klinik für Onkologische Rehabilitation, Quellenstr. 8-12, 34537 Bad Wildungen, Germany ; 2 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA ; 3 Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Klinik für Thoraxchirurgie, Ludwig Erhard Str. 100, 65199 Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schirren
authors.affiliation: 1 Klinik Reinhardshöhe, Klinik für Onkologische Rehabilitation, Quellenstr. 8-12, 34537 Bad Wildungen, Germany ; 2 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA ; 3 Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Klinik für Thoraxchirurgie, Ludwig Erhard Str. 100, 65199 Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bölükbas
keywords: Six-Minute-Walk Test (6-MWT); lung surgery; oncological; rehabilitation; respiratory function