A comparison of the shuttle and 6 minute walking tests with measured peak oxygen consumption in patients with heart failure

This study investigated the use of an incremental, externally-paced 10m shuttle walk test (SWT) as an objective, reliable and predictive test of functional capacity in patients with heart failure (CHF). The SWT was compared to a 6 minute walk test (6WT) and a maximal symptom-limited treadmill peak oxygen consumption ((V)over dot O(2)peak) test. Experiment I examined the reproducibility of the SWT. Two SWT trials were performed and distance ambulated (DA), heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) results compared. In experiment 2. SWT. 6WT. and (V)over dot O(2)peak tests were performed and HP, RPE and ambulatory (V)over dot O-2 compared. The SWT demonstrated strong test/retest reliability for DA (r = 0.98), HR (r = 0.96) and RPE (r = 0.89). Treadmill (V)over dot O(2)peak was significantly correlated with DA during the SWT (r = 0.83. P < 0.05). but not the 6WT. SWT peak (V)over dot O-2 (18.5 <plus/minus> 1.8 ml.kg(-1).min(-1)) and treadmill (V)over dot O(2)peak (18.3 +/- 2.0 ml.kg(-1).min(-1)) were also highly correlated (r = 0.78, P < 0.05). Conversely, 6WT peak (V)over dot O-2 and treadmill (V)over dot O(2)peak were not significantly correlated. This study suggests the SWT is a reliable, objective test, highly predictive of (V)over dot O(2)peak which may be a more optimal field exercise test than the self paced 6WT.