The Usefulness of the Incremental Load Repeated Standup Test in the Assessment of the Exercise Capacity of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

[Purpose] Field walking tests are widely used to assess the exercise capacity of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present study aimed to examine whether or not the incremental load repeated standup test (IRST), a new field test which is easy to conduct, can substitute for existing field walking tests, the 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and the incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT). [Methods] The cardiopulmonary exercise stress test (CEST), 6MWD, ISWT, and IRST were performed by18 Japanese male elderly patients with COPD. The IRST consists of repeated standups from a chair with incremental increases in the standup frequency. [Results] Single regression analysis using CEST-peak VO₂ as the dependent variable and the number of standups, walking distance, and walking distance, as independent variables gave the comparable regression formulae of: CEST-peak VO₂ = 0.12 × number of standups in IRST+ 8.26; CEST-peak VO₂ = 0.02 × walking distance in the 6MWD + 3.48; and CEST-peak VO₂ = 0.02 × walking distance in the ISWT + 6.48, respectively. [Conclusion] The IRST is a potential substitute field test for the 6MWD and ISWT because it has comparable predictive ability and can be conducted in a very limited space.