In the interpretation of the results, a change in walking distance of more than 50 m is usually considered clinically significant in most disease states. The test is also used for assessing the effect of therapies such as pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, long‐term use of inhaled corticosteroids, and lung volume reduction surgery. The walked distance reflects exercise capacity determined by maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with cardiopulmonary conditions and has a strong association with mortality in primary pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The test is easy to administer, well tolerated, and reflects activities of daily living better than other walk tests. The 6MWT is self-paced, and patients are unlikely to push themselves beyond their endurance or through musculoskeletal pain. Secondary measures can include fatigue and dyspnea, measured with a modified Borg or analogue scale and peripheral arterial oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry. The primary measurement of the test is the total distance walked, computed as the total number of lengths or laps walked plus the excess distance measured with a trundle wheel, a measuring tape, or with marks along the corridor. It consists of instructing patients to walk as far as they can during 6 min, usually in a corridor, under the observation of a doctor or a physiologist. The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is a common clinical instrument for assessing patients’ functional capacity.
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