Systematic review of the use of the Six Minute Walk Test in Measuring and Improving Prognosis in Patients with Ischaemic Heart Disease.

IntroductionThe Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) has been used for over thirty years to assess exercise capacity in patients with respiratory disease, and more recently heart failure. However, despite being a simple reproducible test of real-world capacity, its use ischaemic disease (IHD) is less well accepted. We sought review systematically the evidence surrounding 6MWT IHD.MethodsWe searched Medline, PubMed, Embase Scopus databases key terms: “six minute walk test/6 test/6MWT” “angina/coronary artery disease/coronary disease/IHD/ischemic disease”. followed PRISMA guidelines select publications full-text analysed collated data.Results1228 unique papers were found, which 71 chosen 37 detailed analysis. Most (23) concerned effect on distance (6MWTd) Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR), measurements commenced after an intervention (Acute Myocardial Infarction, n=4; Open Heart Surgery (OHS), n=5; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), n=3; or other, n=11). The 6MWTd OHS was investigated six studies PCI one study.The useful measurement physical capacity. There are limited data ability benefit following PCI.ConclusionsThe studied inconsistently IHD. majority before CR. concerning PCI. available support as measure change performance status coronary intervention. More work required confirm this hypothesis.