REFERENCE EQUATION FOR THE TWO-MINUTE WALK TEST IN ADULTS AND THE ELDERLY

Epub ahead of print papers have been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication but are posted before being copy edited and proofread, and as a result, may differ substantially when published in final version in the online and print editions of RESPIRATORY CARE. Copyright (C) 2013 Daedalus Enterprises Background: The two-minute walk test (2MWT) has been used in several health conditions, but the interpretation of its results is limited due to lack of reference values. Objective: The aim of this study was to establish a reference equation to predict the distance walked (DW) in the 2MWT for healthy adults and the elderly, and to test its reproducibility. Methods: We evaluated 390 healthy subjects (195 male), aged 18–89 years, with normal spirometry and no history of previous chronic diseases. Two 2MWTs were performed on the same day, 30 minutes apart. To test the reliability of the prediction equation, 70 subjects (35 male) were prospectively included in the study. Results: Males walked farther than females (221 [202–240] m vs. 199 [164–222] m, respectively; p <0.0001). Significant correlations were observed between DW and age (