Six-Minute Walk Test demonstrates motor fatigue in spinal muscular atrophy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), weakness, decreased endurance, and fatigue limit mobility. Scales have been developed to measure function across the wide spectrum of disease severity. However, these scales typically are observer dependent, and scores are based on sums across Likert-scaled items. The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is an objective, easily administered, and standardized evaluation of functional exercise capacity that has been proven reliable in other neurologic disorders and in children.

Methods

To study the performance of the 6MWT in SMA, 18 ambulatory participants were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. Clinical measures were 6MWT, 10-m walk/run, Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE), forced vital capacity, and handheld dynamometry.

SUBMITTER: Montes J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2839195 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature