Six-minute walk test-normal values of school children aged 7-12 y in India: A cross-sectional study

Objective To establish normal reference standards for six minute walk test of children aged between 7-12 y in India. Methods Healthy children aged between 7 to 12 y were recruited randomly from the selected schools in India. 400 children were included .Six minute walk test (MWT) was performed according to standardized ATS guidelines. Distance walked in 6 min, Heart rate (HR), Blood pressure (BP), Oxygen saturation, anthropometric measurements and level of dyspnea were taken as outcome measures. Results Mean distance walked in 6 min was 609±166 m, with significant difference between boys and girls( p<0.001). Boys covered more distance than girls. Heart rate increased from a baseline of 82.73±1.63 to a maximum of 104.32±3.11; heart rate recovery occurred at 5 min in both the genders. SBP increased from baseline 109±2.38 to maximum of 121.86± 1.75 at the end of the test, with no significant increase in DBP which was 68.51±2.21 and 69±2.78 at the end of the test. No significant change in oxygen saturation and dyspnea was observed during the test. Mean oxygen saturation was 97% at baseline, with an immediate drop of 96%. Conclusions In this study, the mean distance covered in 6 min by boys was 670.74±86.21 m and girls were 548.93±44.78 m.