Six minute walk test in type III spinal muscular atrophy: A 12 month longitudinal study

• Published in: Neuromuscular disorders : NMD Vol. 23; no. 8; pp. 624 - 628
• Main Authors: Mazzone, E, Bianco, F, Main, M, van den Hauwe, M, Ash, M, de Vries, R, Fagoaga Mata, J, Stein, S, De Sanctis, R, D’Amico, A, Palermo, C, Fanelli, L, Scoto, M.C, Mayhew, A, Eagle, M, Vigo, M, Febrer, A, Korinthenberg, R, de Visser, M, Bushby, K, Muntoni, F, Goemans, N, Sormani, M.P, Bertini, E, Pane, M, Mercuri, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-08-2013
• Subjects: Age; Neurology; Outcome measures; 6MWT; Spinal muscular atrophy
• ISSN: 0960-8966
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2013.06.001

Abstract The aim of our longitudinal multicentric study was to establish the changes on the 6 min walk test (6MWT) in ambulant SMA type III children and adults over a 12 month period. Thirty-eight ambulant type III patients performed the 6MWT at baseline and 12 months after baseline. The distance covered in 6 min ranged between 75 and 510 m (mean 294.91, SD 127) at baseline and between 50 and 611 m (mean 293.41 m, SD 141) at 12 months. The mean change in distance between baseline and 12 months was −1.46 (SD 50.1; range: −183 to 131.8 m). The changes were not correlated with age or baseline values ( p > .05) even though younger patients reaching puberty, had a relatively higher risk of showing deterioration of more than 30 m compared to older patients. Our findings provide the first longitudinal data using the 6MWT in ambulant SMA patients.