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Background: Sit-to-stand tests (STST) have recently been developed as easy-to-use field tests to evaluate exercise tolerance in COPD patients. As several modalities of the test exist, this review presents a synthesis of the advantages and limitations of these tools with the objective of helping health professionals to identify the STST modality most appropriate for their patients., Method: Seventeen original articles dealing with STST in COPD patients have been identified and analysed including eleven on 1min-STST and four other versions of the test (ranging from 5 to 10 repetitions and from 30 s to 3 min). In these studies the results obtained in sit-to-stand tests and the recorded physiological variables have been correlated with the results reported in other functional tests., Results: A good set of correlations was achieved between STST performances and the results reported in other functional tests, as well as quality of life scores and prognostic index. According to the different STST versions the processes involved in performance are different and consistent with more or less pronounced associations with various physical qualities. These tests are easy to use in a home environment, with excellent metrological properties and responsiveness to pulmonary rehabilitation, even though repetition of the same movement remains a fragmented and restrictive approach to overall physical evaluation., Conclusions: The STST appears to be a relevant and valid tool to assess functional status in COPD patients. While all versions of STST have been tested in COPD patients, they should not be considered as equivalent or interchangeable., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The 1-minute sit-to-stand (STS) test could be valuable to assess the level of exercise tolerance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is a need to provide the minimal important difference (MID) of this test in pulmonary rehabilitation (PR)., Methods: COPD patients undergoing the 1-minute STS test before PR were included. The test was performed at baseline and the end of PR, as well as the 6-minute walk test, and the quadriceps maximum voluntary contraction (QMVC). Home and community-based programs were conducted as recommended. Responsiveness to PR was determined by the difference in the 1-minute STS test between baseline and the end of PR. The MID was evaluated using distribution and anchor-based methods., Results: Forty-eight COPD patients were included. At baseline, the significant predictors of the number of 1-minute STS repetitions were the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) ( r =0.574; P <10 -3 ), age ( r =-0.453; P =0.001), being on long-term oxygen treatment ( r =-0.454; P =0.017), and the QMVC ( r =0.424; P =0.031). The multivariate analysis explained 75.8% of the variance of 1-minute STS repetitions. The improvement of the 1-minute STS repetitions at the end of PR was 3.8±4.2 ( P <10 -3 ). It was mainly correlated with the change in QMVC ( r =0.572; P =0.004) and 6MWD ( r =0.428; P =0.006). Using the distribution-based analysis, an MID of 1.9 (standard error of measurement method) or 3.1 (standard deviation method) was found. With the 6MWD as anchor, the receiver operating characteristic curve identified the MID for the change in 1-minute STS repetitions at 2.5 (sensibility: 80%, specificity: 60%) with area under curve of 0.716., Conclusion: The 1-minute STS test is simple and sensitive to measure the efficiency of PR. An improvement of at least three repetitions is consistent with physical benefits after PR., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.