Abstract
Walking abnormalities are prominent in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We modified the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) for use as an outcome measure in patients with DMD and evaluated its performance in 21 ambulatory boys with DMD and 34 healthy boys, ages 4 to 12 years. Boys with DMD were tested twice, -1 week apart; controls were tested once. The groups had similar age, height, and weight. All tests were completed. Boys who fell recovered rapidly from falls without injury. Mean ± SD [range] 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) was lower in boys with DMD than in controls (366 ± 83 [125-481] m vs. 621 ± 68 [479-754] m; P < 0.0001; unpaired t-test). Test-retest correlation for boys with DMD was high (r = 0.91). Stride length (R2 = 0.89; P < 0.0001) was the major determinant of 6MWD for both boys with DMD and controls. A modified 6MWT is feasible and safe, documents disease-related limitations on ambulation, is reproducible, and offers a new outcome measure for DMD natural history and therapeutic trials.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 500-510 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Muscle and Nerve |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2010 |
Keywords
- 6-minute walk test
- Case-control study
- Child
- Duchenne
- Gait disorder
- Muscular dystrophy
- Neurologic
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Physiology (medical)
- Physiology