Correlation Between 6-Minute Walk Distance, Severity of Airflow Limitation and Dyspnea Score in COPD Patients: A Retrospective Study
Keywords:
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 6-minute walk distance, dyspnea score, forced expiratory volume in one secondAbstract
Objectives: To determine the correlation between 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and severity of airflow limitation as well as modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients
Study design: Retrospective study
Setting: Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic, Trang Hospital.
Subjects: Patients diagnosed with COPD who completed the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023.
Methods: The patients’ baseline characteristics were obtained from medical records. The Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), 6MWD, and mMRC dyspnea scores were collected and analyzed.
Results: One hundred and ninety-seven patients with COPD were recruited, of whom 91.9% were male. The average 6MWD was 403.4 meters (SD=78.4). Half the patients had moderate COPD. The majority of the patients had an mMRC dyspnea score of 1. There was a weak positive correlation between 6MWD and FEV1 (r = 0.299, p < 0.001) and a weak negative correlation between 6MWD and mMRC dyspnea score (r = -0.266, p < 0.001). However, there was a strong negative correlation between 6MWD and the mMRC dyspnea score (r = -0.727, p < 0.05) in patients with very severe degree COPD.
Conclusions: The study showed a significant weak correlation between 6MWD and FEV1 as well as 6MWD and mMRC dyspnea score. However, in patients with very severe COPD, the correlation between 6MWD and mMRC dyspnea score was stronger than in others. This suggests that 6MWT and mMRC dyspnea score should be routinely evaluated in patients with COPD to monitor clinical change.
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