Relationship between four meter gait speed test and cardiopulmonary exercise test in copd patients

Thesis in Respiratory Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common, preventable and treatable disease that is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation that is due to airway and/or alveolar abnormalities usually caused by significant exposure to noxious particles and gases. Exertional dyspnea and exercise intolerance due airway obstruction and air trapping caused by parenchymal destruction are the major symptoms of COPD. 6 minute walking test (6MWT) and cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) are the main tests which used in the diagnosis and follow-up of exercise intolerance in COPD. 4 meter gait speed test is usually used to follow the exercise capacity of geriatric population. Aim of the study is to investigate the correlations between 4MWT, 6MWT and CPET. CPET was performed to totally 23 COPD patients who admitted to the outpatient clinic of the Respiratory Medicine Department. After 24 hours and at the same period of day, patients carried out 6MWT and 4MWT. Spirometry and hand-grip tests were also performed. There were significant relationships between 4 meter gait speed, 6 minutes walking test distance and peak VO₂ measurements (p<0.001, p=0.029 respectively). Additionally 4 meter gait speed was also strongly correlated with COPD assesment test (CAT) and BODE index ( p<0.001, p= 0.002 respectively). 4MWT strongly correlated with 6MWT distance and CPET parameters. 4MWT is an easy and short test which may be used to follow exercise capacity of patients with COPD. Keywords: COPD, dyspnea, four meter gait speed test, cardiopulmonary exercise test