Accompanied versus unaccompanied walking for continuous oxygen saturation measurement during 6-min walk test in COPD: A randomised cross-over study

Is there is a difference in the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) distance when the assessor accompanies the patient to continuously measure oxygen saturation (SpO2) compared to the patient walking unaccompanied?

We conducted a randomised cross-over study to evaluate the impact of the assessor walking with the patient during 6MWT (6MWTwith) versus patient walking alone (6MWTwithout). At the end of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme, each patient performed two 6MWTs in random order and separated by 30 minutes rest.

49 COPD patients (GOLD II-IV) were included. In a regression model adjusting for period and subject, accompanying the patient resulted in a lower walking distance (mean difference -9.1 m, [95%CI, -13.9 to -4.3], p=0.0004). Notably, six patients walked more than 30m further (minimal important difference, MID) in one of the two conditions (6MWTwith: n=1, 6MWTwithout: n=5). There were no betweensequence-group differences in heart rate, dyspnoea and leg-fatigue, and SpO2. The medi...