1. Validation of stroke-specific protocols for the 10-meter walk test and 6-minute walk test conducted using 15-meter and 30-meter walkways.
- Author
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Cheng, Darren K., Nelson, Michelle, Brooks, Dina, and Salbach, Nancy M.
- Subjects
CONFIDENCE intervals ,STATISTICAL correlation ,EXERCISE tests ,STATISTICS ,WALKING ,DATA analysis ,MEASUREMENT errors ,QUANTITATIVE research ,STATISTICAL reliability ,STATISTICAL significance ,MULTITRAIT multimethod techniques ,CROSS-sectional method ,RESEARCH methodology evaluation ,DATA analysis software ,STROKE rehabilitation ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,EXERCISE tolerance ,WALKING speed ,INTRACLASS correlation - Abstract
Background: Stroke-specific protocols for the 10-meter and 6-minute walk tests that include instructions for people with aphasia, accessible walkway lengths, and allow provision of assistance to walk are needed to facilitate uptake in hospital settings. Objectives: To estimate the test-retest reliability, measurement error, and construct validity of stroke-specific protocols for the 10-meter walk test (10mWT), and 6-minute walk test conducted using a 15-meter walkway (6MWT
15m ) and 30-meter walkway (6MWT30m ), in people post-stroke. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study involving ambulatory people post-stroke was conducted. Results: Data were collected from 21 and 20 participants at baseline and retest, respectively, 1–3 days apart. Mean age was 61 years, median time post-stroke was 134 days, and 90% had experienced an ischemic stroke. Performance on the 10mWT, 6MWT15m , and 6MWT30m across sessions yielded intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2, 1 ) estimates of test-retest reliability of 0.83, 0.97, 0.95, respectively, and minimal detectable change values at the 95% confidence level of 0.40m/s, 44.0m, and 67.5m, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.80–0.95 (p <.001) between results on all three walk tests and 0.27–0.48 (p <.25) between walk test results and strength subscale scores on the Stroke Impact Scale. Conclusions: Findings showed excellent test-retest reliability; measurement error values similar to current literature; and support for construct validity of the 10mWT, 6MWT15m , and 6MWT30m . Due to the shorter walkway, the 6MWT15m may be more feasible to implement than the 6MWT30m in hospital settings. A larger sample with more severe deficits is required to improve generalizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2020
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