title: Could the two-minute step test be an alternative to the six-minute walk test for patients with systolic heart failure?
abstract: The consequence of exercise intolerance for patients with heart failure is the difficulty climbing stairs. The two-minute step test is a test that reflects the activity of climbing stairs.
  
  
  
  The aim of the study design is to evaluate the applicability of the two-minute step test in an assessment of exercise tolerance in patients with heart failure and the association between the six-minute walk test and the two-minute step test.
  
  
  
  Participants in this study were 168 men with systolic heart failure (New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I-IV). In the study we used the two-minute step test, the six-minute walk test, the cardiopulmonary exercise test and isometric dynamometer armchair.
  
  
  
  Patients who performed more steps during the two-minute step test covered a longer distance during the six-minute walk test (r = 0.45). The quadriceps strength was correlated with the two-minute step test and the six-minute walk test (r = 0.61 and r = 0.48). The greater number of steps performed during the two-minute step test was associated with higher values of peak oxygen consumption (r = 0.33), ventilatory response to exercise slope (r = -0.17) and longer time of exercise during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (r = 0.34). Fatigue and leg fatigue were greater after the two-minute step test than the six-minute walk test whereas dyspnoea and blood pressure responses were similar.
  
  
  
  The two-minute step test is well tolerated by patients with heart failure and may thus be considered as an alternative for the six-minute walk test.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Poland Center for Heart Disease, 4th Military Academic Hospital Wroclaw, Poland kingawteodorczyk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kinga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Węgrzynowska-Teodorczyk
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dagmara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mozdzanowska
authors.affiliation: Center for Heart Disease, 4th Military Academic Hospital Wroclaw, Poland Department of Heart Diseases, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Josiak
authors.affiliation: Center for Heart Disease, 4th Military Academic Hospital Wroclaw, Poland Department of Physiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siennicka
authors.affiliation: Center for Heart Disease, 4th Military Academic Hospital Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nowakowska
authors.affiliation: Center for Heart Disease, 4th Military Academic Hospital Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Banasiak
authors.affiliation: Center for Heart Disease, 4th Military Academic Hospital Wroclaw, Poland Department of Heart Diseases, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jankowska
authors.affiliation: Center for Heart Disease, 4th Military Academic Hospital Wroclaw, Poland Department of Heart Diseases, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ponikowski
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woźniewski
mesh_terms: D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D054143:Heart Failure, Systolic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D053580:Muscle Strength; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D000070857:Walk Test; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Exercise tolerance; exercise test; heart failure; mobility limitation; walking