Six Minutes Walk Test in Children on Regular Hemodialysis

The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a submaximal test that assesses the functional exercise capacities of healthy subjects or those with a chronic disease, as well as the effects of interventions, such as pulmonary rehabilitation or drug therapies. It can predict prognosis, mortality and morbidity in adults and children with lung and/or heart diseases . A study with of children with stage V chronic kidney disease (CKD) has used the 6MWT to demonstrate decreased exercise tolerance , which appears to be caused by several factors, such as anemia, metabolic acidosis, electrolyte imbalance, osteopenia, growth deficiency, malnutrition, inactivity, uremic muscle dysfunction and associated comorbidities . The findings of this study suggest that the 6MWT could be used as a clinical tool to monitor functional exercise capacity in children with kidney disease. The 6MWT is a sub-maximum effort test that is more representative of daily life activities than other effort tests and has low cost and easy applicability . The distance walked in the 6MWT shows an association with VO2 peak, making it a viable and safe alternative for patients who cannot tolerate the ergometric test .

Inclusion criteria

• Children with ESRD who on regular hemodialysis at Assiut University Children Hospital .

Exclusion criteria

• Any subject with underlying primary cardio-pulmonary disease or condition that interfere with the walk test as hemiplegia and cerebral palsy.