Oliver Rick1, Tsegaye Metz1, Michael Eberlein1, Joachim Schirren1, Servet Bölükbas1. 1. 1 Klinik Reinhardshöhe, Klinik für Onkologische Rehabilitation, Quellenstr. 8-12, 34537 Bad Wildungen, Germany ; 2 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA ; 3 Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken, Klinik für Thoraxchirurgie, Ludwig Erhard Str. 100, 65199 Wiesbaden, Germany.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The Six-Minute-Walk Test (6-MWT) is an established and well-validated diagnostic procedure in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. The significance of the 6-MWT in the assessment of the respiratory function in tumor patients after lung surgery is yet unclear. METHODS: The retrospective study included 227 patients following oncological rehabilitation after lobectomy, pneumonectomy or wedge- and segmental resection due to a malignant tumor disease. Spirometry and 6-MWT were performed at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of oncological rehabilitation and correlated with each other. A subgroup analysis on clinically relevant parameters was conducted as well. RESULTS: A significant improvement of the walking distance measured in 6-MWT as well as of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were detected within the scope of spirometry (all three P<0.01). This effect was demonstrable in all subgroups, except for patients who underwent pneumonectomy. However, a low correlation of the parameters walking distance and FEV1 was observed at both measurement points T1 (rho value =0.21) and T2 (rho value =0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Measuring the walking distance in the 6-MWT could be a suitable parameter to assess respiratory function.
INTRODUCTION: The Six-Minute-Walk Test (6-MWT) is an established and well-validated diagnostic procedure in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. The significance of the 6-MWT in the assessment of the respiratory function in tumorpatients after lung surgery is yet unclear. METHODS: The retrospective study included 227 patients following oncological rehabilitation after lobectomy, pneumonectomy or wedge- and segmental resection due to a malignant tumor disease. Spirometry and 6-MWT were performed at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of oncological rehabilitation and correlated with each other. A subgroup analysis on clinically relevant parameters was conducted as well. RESULTS: A significant improvement of the walking distance measured in 6-MWT as well as of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were detected within the scope of spirometry (all three P<0.01). This effect was demonstrable in all subgroups, except for patients who underwent pneumonectomy. However, a low correlation of the parameters walking distance and FEV1 was observed at both measurement points T1 (rho value =0.21) and T2 (rho value =0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Measuring the walking distance in the 6-MWT could be a suitable parameter to assess respiratory function.
Entities:
Keywords:
Six-Minute-Walk Test (6-MWT); lung surgery; oncological; rehabilitation; respiratory function