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Marn Radoš M1, Drev T1, Špoljar J1, Puh U2
1University Rehabilitation Institute Republic of Slovenia, Department for Rehabilitation of People with Spinal Cord Injury, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Department of Physiotherapy, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Background: 10-meter walk test (10MWT) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) are frequently used for assessment of walking abilities in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury. The data about walking abilities of patients with spinal cord injury ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) grade C are limited.
Purpose: To analyse walking speed and functional abilities of patients with spinal cord injury AIS C at the end of rehabilitation, to determine associations with other patient characteristics and correlation between 10MWT and 6MWT in that group of patients.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for patients with incomplete spinal cord injury with AIS grade C at the end of their rehabilitation from 2014 to 2017. 10-meter walk test was conducted with comfortable pace. 6-minute walk test was performed as recommended by the American thoracic society with slight modifications. Tests were made at the end of rehabilitation period. Data were collected from physiotherapy documentation. Independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficient were calculated.
Results: Study included 60 patients who met the criteria. The cause of the injury was trauma (53%) or disease (47%) in cervical (33%), thoracic (40%) or lumbar (27%) spine. Average age was 54 ± 17.5 years, they were on average 4.2 ± 1.5 months from injury. Average walking speed on 10MWT was 0.49 ± 0.35 m/s, and average walking distance on 6MWT was 154.1 ± 110.4 m. There were no statistically significant differences according to gender (men: 0.50 ± 0.35 m/s and 158 ± 115.2 m; women: 0.48 ± 0.36 m/s and 148.2 ± 105.1 m) and as well not according to cause of injury (trauma: 0.52 ± 0.39 m/s, 156.7 ± 122.3 m; disease: 0.46 ± 0.3 m/s; 151.1 ± 97.2 m). Correlation between 6MWT and 10MWT was very high (r = 0.93, p 0.001). Correlations between the results of both tests and the time from injury were fair negative (6MWT: r = -0.40, p = 0.002; 10MWT: r = -0.35, p = 0.006), however no statistically significant correlation was found for results of both tests with age. ANOVA did not show any statistically significant differences for the outcome of both tests based on the level of injury.
Conclusion(s): Analysis showed high correlation between 10MWT and 6MWT in subjects with incomplete spinal cord injury AIS C. There was found no differences between groups according to gender, level and cause of the injury and there was no correlation according to age. The outcomes of both tests were better in patients who were less than three months after the injury in comparison to patients who were tested later.
Implications: Patients did not reach the walking velocity of healthy subjects, which shows lower functional walking ability in subjects with AIS C. This should be taken into consideration when planning discharge from institution. Improvement of these outcomes remains challenge for physiotherapy.
Keywords: AIS C, 10-meter walk test, 6-minute walk test
Funding acknowledgements: The work was unfunded.
Purpose: To analyse walking speed and functional abilities of patients with spinal cord injury AIS C at the end of rehabilitation, to determine associations with other patient characteristics and correlation between 10MWT and 6MWT in that group of patients.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for patients with incomplete spinal cord injury with AIS grade C at the end of their rehabilitation from 2014 to 2017. 10-meter walk test was conducted with comfortable pace. 6-minute walk test was performed as recommended by the American thoracic society with slight modifications. Tests were made at the end of rehabilitation period. Data were collected from physiotherapy documentation. Independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficient were calculated.
Results: Study included 60 patients who met the criteria. The cause of the injury was trauma (53%) or disease (47%) in cervical (33%), thoracic (40%) or lumbar (27%) spine. Average age was 54 ± 17.5 years, they were on average 4.2 ± 1.5 months from injury. Average walking speed on 10MWT was 0.49 ± 0.35 m/s, and average walking distance on 6MWT was 154.1 ± 110.4 m. There were no statistically significant differences according to gender (men: 0.50 ± 0.35 m/s and 158 ± 115.2 m; women: 0.48 ± 0.36 m/s and 148.2 ± 105.1 m) and as well not according to cause of injury (trauma: 0.52 ± 0.39 m/s, 156.7 ± 122.3 m; disease: 0.46 ± 0.3 m/s; 151.1 ± 97.2 m). Correlation between 6MWT and 10MWT was very high (r = 0.93, p 0.001). Correlations between the results of both tests and the time from injury were fair negative (6MWT: r = -0.40, p = 0.002; 10MWT: r = -0.35, p = 0.006), however no statistically significant correlation was found for results of both tests with age. ANOVA did not show any statistically significant differences for the outcome of both tests based on the level of injury.
Conclusion(s): Analysis showed high correlation between 10MWT and 6MWT in subjects with incomplete spinal cord injury AIS C. There was found no differences between groups according to gender, level and cause of the injury and there was no correlation according to age. The outcomes of both tests were better in patients who were less than three months after the injury in comparison to patients who were tested later.
Implications: Patients did not reach the walking velocity of healthy subjects, which shows lower functional walking ability in subjects with AIS C. This should be taken into consideration when planning discharge from institution. Improvement of these outcomes remains challenge for physiotherapy.
Keywords: AIS C, 10-meter walk test, 6-minute walk test
Funding acknowledgements: The work was unfunded.
Topic: Neurology: spinal cord injury
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: University Rehabilitation Institute Republic of Slovenia
Ethics committee: Medical ethics committee of the University Rehabilitation Institute
Ethics number: 43040
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
