Validation of 1 Minute Sit-to Stand Test for Assessment of Breathlessness at Exertion in Individuals With Chronic Lung Disease

Chronic breathlessness is a common and burdensome symptom among people with chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Accurate assessment of exertional breathlessness is important for clinical evaluation, monitoring of disease progression, and evaluation of treatment effects. Commonly used instruments, including symptom questionnaires, primarily rely on retrospective recall and may not adequately capture breathlessness experienced during physical activity.

The one-minute sit-to-stand test (1MSTS) is a simple, low-cost functional exercise test that can be performed in a wide range of healthcare settings. Although the test is increasingly used to assess functional capacity in patients with chronic disease, its role as a tool for assessing exertional breathlessness has not been fully established.

This prospective multicenter validation study aims to evaluate the measurement properties of breathlessness assessed during the 1MSTS in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial lung disease (ILD), and heart failure (HF). Participants will undergo repeated assessments using the 1MSTS and established exercise tests, including cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and the six-minute walk test (6MWT). Breathlessness will be assessed during exercise using standardised rating scales, and physiological responses will be recorded using conventional and sensor-based methods.

The study will examine the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of breathlessness measurements obtained during the 1MSTS. Findings from this study may support the use of the 1MSTS as a practical and accessible tool for identifying and monitoring exertional breathlessness in both clinical practice and research settings.

Inclusion criteria

• Have a physician diagnosis of COPD/ILD/Asthma/HF.
• The participant has given written consent to participate in the study
• Age 18 years or older
• Able to cycle
• Able to use the legs and stand up from sitting without risk of falling
• Able to understand and speak Swedish to participate in the study procedures, as judged by the staff.

Exclusion criteria

• Resting peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) < 92%
• hospitalisation or clinical instability during the last four weeks
• Treatment with supplementary oxygen at rest or during exercise
• contraindication to exercise testing in accordance with clinical practice guidelines
• expected survival shorter than six months as judged by the Staff
• medical conditions including acute coronary artery disease, neuromuscular disease or severe psychiatric illness.