Open AccessDeterminants of 6‐Minute Walk Distance in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Undergoing Lung Transplant Evaluation
Author(s) -
Porteous Mary K.,
RiveraLebron Belinda N.,
Kreider Maryl,
Lee James,
Kawut Steven M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
pulmonary circulation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.791
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2045-8940
DOI - 10.1086/685022
Subject(s) - medicine , lung transplantation , idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis , cardiology , lung , vascular resistance , pulmonary function testing , heart transplantation , confidence interval , vital capacity , pulmonary fibrosis , transplantation , hemodynamics , diffusing capacity , lung function
Little is known about the physiologic determinants of 6‐minute walk distance in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. We investigated the demographic, pulmonary function, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic determinants of 6‐minute walk distance in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis evaluated for lung transplantation. We performed a cross‐sectional analysis of 130 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who completed a lung transplantation evaluation at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania between 2005 and 2010. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to generate an explanatory model for 6‐minute walk distance. After adjustment for age, sex, race, height, and weight, the presence of right ventricular dilation was associated with a decrease of 50.9 m (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.4–93.3) in 6‐minute walk distance ( P = 0:02). For each 200‐mL reduction in forced vital capacity, the walk distance decreased by 15.0 m (95% CI, 9.0–21.1; P < 0:001). For every increase of 1 Wood unit in pulmonary vascular resistance, the walk distance decreased by 17.3 m (95% CI, 5.1–29.5; P = 0:006). Six‐minute walk distance in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis depends in part on circulatory impairment and the degree of restrictive lung disease. Future trials that target right ventricular morphology, pulmonary vascular resistance, and forced vital capacity may potentially improve exercise capacity in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.