ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONAL-CAPACITY IN CHRONIC HEART-FAILURE - TIME-LIMITED EXERCISE ON A SELF-POWERED TREADMILL

Objectives-To assess the efficacy of a 9-minute walking test on a self -powered treadmill in a group of patients with various degrees of hear t failure, to investigate the reproducibility of the technique, and to the safety of the technique. Patients and methods-24 controls and 37 patients with various grades of heart failure were studied. Peak oxyge n consumption was measured in patients and controls. The distance walk ed in 9 minutes on a self-powered treadmill was measured in all groups and the test was repeated to assess reproducibility. Results-The dist ance walked in 9 minutes correlated with peak oxygen consumption in pa tients, controls, and both groups combined. There was a significant di fference in the distance walked by controls and patients and in the di stance walked by patients with severe rather than with mild or moderat e heart failure. There was no significant difference between the resul ts of successive 9-minute walking tests in any group. No serious adver se reaction was seen in any patient during or after the test. Conclusi on-The 9-minute walking test on a self-powered treadmill is a sensitiv e, reproducible, safe, and inexpensive method of assessing functional capacity in patients with ah grades of heart failure.