Comparison between stair-climbing test and six-minute walk test after lung resection using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy.
Yohei Kubori, Ryosuke Matsuki, Akira Hotta and 2 others
PMID 28603368WHAT IT FOUND
After lung resection, stair-climbing altitude fell, while six-minute walk distance changed little.
Stair climbing may be more sensitive to reduced exercise capacity in this group.
Key findings
01One month after VATS lobectomy, altitude reached on the stair-climbing test fell from 26.3 ± 12.7 m to 18.2 ± 9.4 m, a significant reduction.
02Six-minute walk distance did not change significantly over the same period, from 496.2 ± 61.5 m to 468.9 ± 71.4 m.
03The postoperative stair-climbing value was 71.4 ± 12.9% of preoperative, compared with 95.0 ± 18.1% for the six-minute walk, and the difference was significant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 14 patients were enrolled, all from one hospital, so the result may not apply to other lung resection patients. There was no control group, so the changes after surgery cannot be compared with patients who did not have surgery or who had different postoperative care. The two tests were done on the same day in a nonrandomized order, with the six-minute walk test before the stair-climbing test. All patients received the same postoperative respiratory treatment bundle: daily chest physiotherapy, early mobilization, endurance training, and an incentive spirometer. The contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The mean preoperative forced vital capacity was 106.2% of predicted, so the patients had relatively preserved lung function before surgery.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the stair-climbing test as proven better than the six-minute walk test for all patients after lung surgery. The study included only 14 patients, had no control group, and did not test whether treatment changed outcomes.