Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional Study
Background and purpose: New coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause persistent symptoms and physical weakness that can lead to a limitation in activities of daily living (ADL). There is a lack of evidence about the performance in the six-minute step test (6MST) of post-COVID-19 patients and he...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/10/1386 |
| _version_ | 1797599966621859840 |
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| author | Amna Omar Arthur de Sá Ferreira Fatma A. Hegazy Gopala Krishna Alaparthi |
| author_facet | Amna Omar Arthur de Sá Ferreira Fatma A. Hegazy Gopala Krishna Alaparthi |
| author_sort | Amna Omar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and purpose: New coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause persistent symptoms and physical weakness that can lead to a limitation in activities of daily living (ADL). There is a lack of evidence about the performance in the six-minute step test (6MST) of post-COVID-19 patients and healthy subjects. The aim of this study is to investigate the cardiorespiratory response induced by the 6MST in post-COVID-19 patients and compare it with the response of the six-minute walk test (6MWT). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 34 post-COVID-19 patients and 33 healthy subjects. The assessment was performed at one month from a non-severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Both groups were assessed by using the 6MST, 6MWT, and the pulmonary function test (PFT). Post COVID functional status (PCFS) scale was used for the post-COVID-19 group to assess functional status. Physiological responses; heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation (SpO<sub>2</sub>), blood pressure (BP), and Borg scale for fatigue and dyspnea were recorded before and after the 6MST and 6MWT. Results: the performance of the post-COVID-19 group was worse than the healthy group in both tests. In 6MWT, the distance walked by the post-COVID-19 group (423 ± 7) was 94 m less than the healthy group, and the number of climbed steps in the 6MST (121 ± 4) was 34 steps less than the healthy group. Both results were statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There was a moderate positive correlation between the 6MST and 6MWT in walked distance versus steps number (r = 0.5, <i>p</i> < 0.001). In addition, there was a moderate correlation between the two tests in the post (HR, RR, SpO<sub>2</sub>, systolic blood pressure SBP, diastolic blood pressure DBP, dyspnea, and fatigue) with <i>p</i> < 0.001. Conclusions: Six-minute step tests produced similar cardiorespiratory responses when compared to a 6MWT. The 6MST can be used as an assessment tool for COVID-19 patients to evaluate their functional capacity and ADL. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:41:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae64b0aeec44455aae338bf286510660 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:41:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
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| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae64b0aeec44455aae338bf2865106602023-11-18T01:31:34ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-05-011110138610.3390/healthcare11101386Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional StudyAmna Omar0Arthur de Sá Ferreira1Fatma A. Hegazy2Gopala Krishna Alaparthi3Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab EmiratesPostgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Augusto Motta University Center, UNISUAM, Rua Dona Isabel 94, Bonsucesso, Rio de Janeiro 21032-060, BrazilDepartment of Physiotherapy, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Physiotherapy, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab EmiratesBackground and purpose: New coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause persistent symptoms and physical weakness that can lead to a limitation in activities of daily living (ADL). There is a lack of evidence about the performance in the six-minute step test (6MST) of post-COVID-19 patients and healthy subjects. The aim of this study is to investigate the cardiorespiratory response induced by the 6MST in post-COVID-19 patients and compare it with the response of the six-minute walk test (6MWT). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 34 post-COVID-19 patients and 33 healthy subjects. The assessment was performed at one month from a non-severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Both groups were assessed by using the 6MST, 6MWT, and the pulmonary function test (PFT). Post COVID functional status (PCFS) scale was used for the post-COVID-19 group to assess functional status. Physiological responses; heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation (SpO<sub>2</sub>), blood pressure (BP), and Borg scale for fatigue and dyspnea were recorded before and after the 6MST and 6MWT. Results: the performance of the post-COVID-19 group was worse than the healthy group in both tests. In 6MWT, the distance walked by the post-COVID-19 group (423 ± 7) was 94 m less than the healthy group, and the number of climbed steps in the 6MST (121 ± 4) was 34 steps less than the healthy group. Both results were statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There was a moderate positive correlation between the 6MST and 6MWT in walked distance versus steps number (r = 0.5, <i>p</i> < 0.001). In addition, there was a moderate correlation between the two tests in the post (HR, RR, SpO<sub>2</sub>, systolic blood pressure SBP, diastolic blood pressure DBP, dyspnea, and fatigue) with <i>p</i> < 0.001. Conclusions: Six-minute step tests produced similar cardiorespiratory responses when compared to a 6MWT. The 6MST can be used as an assessment tool for COVID-19 patients to evaluate their functional capacity and ADL.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/10/1386COVID-196 minute step test T6 minute walk testcardiorespiratory responsesfunctional capacity |
| spellingShingle | Amna Omar Arthur de Sá Ferreira Fatma A. Hegazy Gopala Krishna Alaparthi Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional Study Healthcare COVID-19 6 minute step test T 6 minute walk test cardiorespiratory responses functional capacity |
| title | Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional Study |
| title_full | Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional Study |
| title_short | Cardiorespiratory Response to Six-Minute Step Test in Post COVID-19 Patients—A Cross Sectional Study |
| title_sort | cardiorespiratory response to six minute step test in post covid 19 patients a cross sectional study |
| topic | COVID-19 6 minute step test T 6 minute walk test cardiorespiratory responses functional capacity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/10/1386 |
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