title: Investigation of the immediate pre-operative physical capacity of patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery using the 6-minute walk test.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of repetition of the 6-minute walk test in patients scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery within the next 48 hours, and to verify the physical capacity of these subjects before surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery within the next 48 hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Distance walked in the 6-minute walk test, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation, dyspnoea and leg fatigue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one patients (74%) were able to walk for a longer distance when the test was repeated. In these subjects, the mean increase in distance walked was 35.4 [standard deviation (SD) 19.9]m. Heart rate, dyspnoea and leg fatigue increased significantly over time on both tests (P<0.05). The mean heart rate at the end of the sixth minute was significantly higher on the second test (P=0.022). Peripheral oxygen saturation remained above 90% in both tests. The furthest distance walked was, on average, 461.3 (SD 89.7)m. This value was significantly lower than that predicted for the sample (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery were able to walk further when they performed a second 6-minute walk test. Moreover, they showed reduced physical ability before surgery. These findings suggest that repetition of the 6-minute walk test may increase the accuracy of the distance walked, which is useful for studies assessing the physical capacity of patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Life Sciences Centre, Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: stpsoares@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: S M T P
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Life Sciences Centre, Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: H P C
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Jannuzzi
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Life Sciences Centre, Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M F O
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Kassab
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Life Sciences Centre, Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Nucci
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Life Sciences Centre, Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Paschoal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000503:physiopathology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013519:Urogenital Surgical Procedures; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: 6-Minute walk test; Physical capacity; Pre-operative care