6-Minute Walk Test

Uses

Benefits

Preparation

Risks & contraindications

Evidence quality

Highlighted claims

• The 6MWT is a simple field walking test requiring only a pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff. — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery
• In the FAST Walk study a single 6MWT administration is performed, consistent with guidelines for prognostic use rather than repeated testing. — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery
• Clinicians are blinded to 6MWT distance; only safety-related termination events, not the walk distance, are disclosed to the surgical team. — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery
• The 6MWT is acceptable to patients across a wide functional range and demonstrates excellent reliability, validity, and safety even in high-risk populations. — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery
• Prior studies of the 6MWT in surgical populations have produced inconsistent findings regarding its association with postoperative complications. — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery
• In the METS-6MWT substudy, early termination of the 6MWT occurred in only 1% of participants and no adverse events were observed. — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery
• In a METS substudy of 545 participants, shorter preoperative 6MWT distance was significantly associated with major complications (OR 1.32 per 100 m decrease, 95% CI 1.01–1.73). — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery
• The METS substudy was underpowered and may have been affected by selection bias, as nearly half of participants had completed CPET before the 6MWT on the same day. — Functional Assessment for Surgery by a Timed Walk (FAST Walk) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective cohort study of the 6 min walk test for preoperative risk stratification in major non-cardiac surgery