Lammers A E, Hislop A A, Flynn Y, Haworth S G
Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK.
Arch Dis Child. 2008 Jun;93(6):464-8. doi: 10.1136/adc.2007.123653. Epub 2007 Aug 3.
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is an established measure of exercise capacity in adults and children with chronic cardiac or respiratory disease. Despite its widespread use, there are no normal values for healthy children under 12 years of age. We aimed to provide normal values for children between 4 and 11 years.
Healthy children were recruited prospectively from two UK primary schools and also children visiting Great Ormond Street Hospital. 328 children (54% male) aged 4 to 11 years were included in the study. Main outcome measures were the distance walked in 6 minutes, and oxygen saturation and heart rate during the 6 minutes and during a 3-minute recovery period.
Mean oxygen saturation at baseline and during the 6MWT was 97-99%. Heart rate increased from 102+/-19 bpm at baseline to a maximum of 136+/-12 bpm. Overall, the mean distance walked in 6 minutes was 470+/-59 m. Distance walked correlated with age (r = 0.64, p<0.0001), weight (r = 0.51, p<0.0001) and height (r = 0.65, p<0.0001) with no significant difference between boys and girls. The distance walked increased significantly year on year from 4 to 7 years (4 years 383+/-41 m; 5 years 420+/-39 m, 6 years 463+/-40 m; 7 years 488+/-35 m; p<0.05 between each); further modest increases were observed beyond 7 years of age.
Performing a 6MWT is feasible and practical in young children. This study provides data on normal children against which the performance of sick children and the response to therapeutic intervention can be judged.
6分钟步行试验（6MWT）是评估患有慢性心脏或呼吸系统疾病的成人和儿童运动能力的既定方法。尽管其应用广泛，但尚无12岁以下健康儿童的正常参考值。我们旨在提供4至11岁儿童的正常参考值。
前瞻性招募来自英国两所小学的健康儿童以及前往大奥蒙德街医院就诊的儿童。328名年龄在4至11岁的儿童纳入本研究。主要观察指标为6分钟步行距离、6分钟及3分钟恢复期的血氧饱和度和心率。
基线及6MWT期间的平均血氧饱和度为97 - 99%。心率从基线时的102±19次/分钟增加至最高136±12次/分钟。总体而言，6分钟步行的平均距离为470±59米。步行距离与年龄（r = 0.64，p<0.0001）、体重（r = 0.51，p<0.0001）和身高（r = 0.65，p<0.0001）相关，男孩和女孩之间无显著差异。4至7岁步行距离逐年显著增加（4岁383±41米；5岁420±39米；6岁463±40米；7岁488±35米；各年龄组间p<0.05）；7岁以后有进一步适度增加。
对幼儿进行6MWT是可行且实用的。本研究提供了正常儿童的数据，可据此判断患病儿童的表现及对治疗干预的反应。
