Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine the reproducibility, responsiveness and concurrent validity
of the six-minute walk test (6MWT) when tested outdoors in patients' own
neighbourhoods using a global positioning system (GPS) or a measuring wheel.
METHODS: A total of 27 chronic stroke patients, discharged to their own homes,
were tested twice, within 5 consecutive days. The 6MWT was conducted using a GPS
and an measuring wheel simultaneously to determine walking distance.
Reproducibility was determined as test-retest reliability and agreement, using
the intraclass correlation coefficient, standard error of measurement and Bland &
Altman plots. Responsiveness was expressed as the smallest real difference and
visualized in Bland & Altman plots. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was
used to study concurrent validity between the GPS and measuring wheel. RESULTS:
Intraclass correlation coefficiens were 0.96 for the GPS and 0.98 for the
measuring wheel, and standard error of measurement scores were 11.9 m for the
measuring wheel and 18.1 m for the GPS, resulting in smallest real differences of
33.0 m and 50.2 m, respectively. Concurrent validity was strong (r = 0.99).
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the outdoor 6MWT using a GPS or measuring
wheel is reproducible, responsive and concurrently valid. This suggests that
therapists working in the community can use the outdoor 6MWT as a reliable,
responsive and valid test.

Langue : ANGLAIS