Lungen- und Atemwegsmedizin

Six-Minute Walking Test (6MWT) Results Assessment in Pulmonary Sarcoidosis Patients

Abstract

Katayoon Samadi, Atefeh Abedini, Shahram Kharabian and Lida Rezaian

Background and objectives: Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that affects multiple organs including the muscles which may lead to physical intolerance. The 6 minute walking test (6MWT) is a method that is frequently used to assess physical capacity in these patients. The aim of this study is to investigate 6MWT results in sarcoidosis patients with different radiographic stages, medication therapy, and spirometric parameters.

Materials and methods: We assessed 6MWD and oxygen desaturation as outcome measure of 6MWT in 71 sarcoidosis patients categorized into four groups according to Scadding criteria .we also compared 6MWD among 30 patients based on the medication therapy in three groups 1) prednisolone 2) prednisolone plus methotrexate 3) hydroxychloroquine plus prednisolone). Also, correlation between 6MWD and spirometric parameters results including FEV1, FEV1/FVC were investigated in 24 patients.

Results: There was statically significant correlation between oxygen desaturation and sarcoidosis severity; but, in spite of finding a tendency in more severe sarcoidosis stages to walk shorter distance the correlation between 6MWD and sarcoidosis severity was not significant. In exploring 6MWD among different medication groups it turned out that patients who were taking methotrexate and prednisolone tended to walk shorter distance in comparison to patients were taking prednisolone alone.

Conclusion: Oxygen desaturation during 6MWT is another measure outcome of this test which would be recommended to be considered in assessing sarcoidosis severity. 6MWT can be considered not only to help assess sarcoidosis expansion in body but also help in better medication choose in these patients.