Key result
6MWT distance correlates with both VO2 and handgrip strength in older adults.
Why the study?
6MWT performance is commonly used in patients with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases but its use and correlations with VO2 and muscle strength in home-dwelling mid-aged and older individuals require further investigation.
Cross-Sectional (n=106)
No
Effect estimate: r = 0.549 (VO2); r = 0.359 (handgrip strength)
p-value: p=≤0.001 (VO2); <0.001 (handgrip strength)
In home-dwelling mid-aged and older Chinese adults, 6MWT performance correlates significantly with both aerobic capacity (VO2) and muscle fitness (handgrip strength).
6MWT distance correlates with VO₂ and grip strength in home-dwellers; leaves open utility for risk stratification or interventions.
Six-minute walk test (6MWT) performance is more commonly used in clinic patients with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases but not in home-dwelling individuals of similar age, and its correlations with oxygen uptake (VO2) and muscle strength require further investigation. The current study determined the 6MWT performance of 106 home-dwelling residents (mean age of 62 years) in Suzhou, China. VO2 at a respiratory exchange ratio (R) of 1 was measured through graded cycling exercise tests on 46 participants. Handgrip strength of all participants was tested. 6MWT distance measured 543.4 ± 67.2 m (total work 351.0 ± 62.8 kJ) with similar distances ambulated each minute. Heart rate, blood pressure, and rate of perceived exertion scores significantly increased after 6MWT. VO2 at R = 1 reached 1238 ± 342 mL/min (18.6 ± 4.7 mL/kg/min), whereas handgrip strength totaled 29.8 ± 9.6 kg. 6MWT distance showed strong correlations with VO2 (r = 0.549, p ≤ 0.001) and handgrip strength (r = 0.359, p < 0.001). Aside from providing reference values for 6MWT performance (~543 m, ~559 m in males and ~533 in females) for home-dwelling Chinese residents, our results suggest that as a parameter of exercise endurance, 6MWT performance correlates with both aerobic capacity and muscle fitness.
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Zhang et al. (2017) conducted a cross-sectional in Home-dwelling residents (n=106). Six-minute walk test (6MWT) was evaluated on Correlation of 6MWT distance with VO2 and handgrip strength (r = 0.549 (VO2); r = 0.359 (handgrip strength), p=≤0.001 (VO2); <0.001 (handgrip strength)). Six-minute walk test distance in home-dwelling older Chinese adults correlated significantly with both VO2 (r = 0.549, p ≤ 0.001) and handgrip strength (r = 0.359, p < 0.001).
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