Abstract
Introduction: Most step tests applied to COPD patients were originally designed for healthy subjects or have self-paced performance aims. A novel incremental step test was developed specifically for COPD patients based on the Chester step test and the incremental shuttle walk test.
Objectives: To analyze the between-day reliability of this incremental step test (IST) in stable COPD patients.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, patients performed the IST twice on two occasions (separated by 7 days) to establish reliability (number of steps and total test time), measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient – ICC2,1. Before and immediately after the tests, heart rate (HR), dyspnea, leg fatigue, and SpO2 were measured. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test was used to determine whether there were differences between tests in performance, HR, dyspnea, leg fatigue, and SpO2.
Results: 18 COPD patients (age: 68.3±6.6; FEV1(%): 58.4±14.5) were enrolled. Excellent reliability was found for number of steps (ICC=0.94) and total test time (ICC=0.91). No significant differences were found between tests in number of steps (test 1: 58.50 [32.50; 79.50] vs. test 2: 77.50 [44.50; 91.00] steps) and test total time (test 1: 265.50 [166.25; 337.00] vs. test 2: 330.00 [219.50;370.75] sec). No significant differences were found on HR, dyspnea, leg fatigue, and SpO2 before and immediately after the tests.
Conclusion: We demonstrate that our novel incremental step test is reproducible in COPD patients. However, additional studies are required to suggest that only one test is enough to assess exercise capacity.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA2121.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021