PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Uta Ochmann AU - Nicola Kotschy-Lang AU - Wolfgang Raab AU - Jessica Kellberger AU - Dennis Nowak AU - Rudolf Jörres TI - Association of 6-minute walk distance and maximal work capacity assessed by ergometry in patients with obstructive and restrictive lung diseases DP - 2012 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - P4438 VI - 40 IP - Suppl 56 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4438.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4438.full SO - Eur Respir J2012 Sep 01; 40 AB - Background and ObjectiveIn patients with chronic lung diseases work load for endurance training is calculated from maximal load. If this is not known, it might be predicted on the basis of 6-minute walk distance (6MWD). We addressed the reliability of such prediction.MethodsWithin a longitudinal clinical study on the efficacy of rehabilitation, baseline data including 6MWD, maximal work load (Wmax), peripheral muscle force, lung function, fat-free mass (FFM) and dyspnoea (MMRC score) of 255 men with occupational lung diseases (asthma, asbestosis, silicosis, COPD) were evaluated.Results6MWD (mean 502m, SD 92m) correlated (r=0.51, p<0.05) with Wmax (mean 112Watt, SD 35Watt), without systematic differences between asthma, silicosis and COPD. The asbestosis group was evaluated separately since the regression line was different. Muscle force, lung function parameters and MMRC score correlated moderately with Wmax (p<0.05 each). Including all statistically significant predictors the correlation was r=0.76 in patients with obstructive lung function impairment and r=0.61 in asbestosis patients. The residual standard deviations of predicted Wmax were 20-28 Watt, depending on the predictors used, and the 95% prediction intervals of Wmax based on the predictor 6MWD 47-65 Watt.ConclusionsCompared to literature data we observed weaker correlations indicating that a sufficiently reliable prediction of individual Wmax by 6MWD or related measures is not possible. Despite this, the regression lines based on a large sample of subjects might be useful for the comparison of epidemiological studies.