Variability of gait speed during six minutes walking test in COPD and cystic fibrosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Recently, gait speed reached an increasing importance in the management of respiratory patients. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare walking speed and physiological adaptations during the 6MWT in COPD and CF patients. METHODS: 6MWT performed by COPD and CF patients were retrospectively reviewed. Global and sequential walking speeds were measured on six minutes and every sequence of two minutes respectively. Heart rate, oxygen saturation and dyspnea were analyzed. RESULTS: 78 and 246 tests from CF and COPD patients were reviewed respectively. FEV1 (52.3 vs 56.2% pred) and FVC (72.5 vs 73.8% pred) were similar between both diseases. However, 6MWT in patients with CF were characterized by significantly higher heart rate, global walking speed and walking distance (+68%) while dyspnea evolutions and the proportions of patients presenting walking speed decline over the 6min were significantly lower. CONCLUSION: Walking speed and cardio-respiratory parameters evolution during 6MWT differ between COPD and CF patients