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Six‐minute walk test is reliable and valid in spinal muscular atrophy
Author(s) -
Dunaway Young Sally,
Montes Jacqueline,
Kramer Samantha S.,
Marra Jonathan,
Salazar Rachel,
Cruz Rosangel,
Chiriboga Claudia A.,
Garber Carol Ewing,
De Vivo Darryl C.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.25120
Subject(s) - sma* , intraclass correlation , spinal muscular atrophy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , reproducibility , physical therapy , medicine , convergent validity , ambulatory , reliability (semiconductor) , electromyography , disease , psychometrics , surgery , pathology , statistics , power (physics) , physics , mathematics , combinatorics , quantum mechanics , internal consistency , clinical psychology
ABSTRACT Introduction : The Six‐Minute Walk Test (6MWT) was adopted as a clinical outcome measure for ambulatory spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, a systematic review of measurement properties reported significant variation among chronic pediatric conditions. Our purpose was to assess the reliability/validity of the 6MWT in SMA. Methods : Thirty participants performed assessments, including the 6MWT, strength, and function. Reproducibility was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients. Criterion/convergent validity were determined using Pearson correlation coefficients. Results : Test–retest reliability was excellent. The 6MWT was associated positively with peak oxygen uptake, Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded (HFMSE), lower extremity manual muscle testing, knee flexion hand‐held dynamometry, and inversely with 10‐m walk/run. The 6MWT discriminates between disease severity, unlike the HFMSE. Conclusions : This study documents measurement properties of reproducibility, positive criterion validity, and convergent validity with established clinical assessments and reaffirms the value of the 6MWT as a pivotal outcome measure in SMA clinical trials. Muscle Nerve 54 : 836–842, 2016