Six-minute walk distance reference values using a 15-metre course: A pragmatic study for resource-constrained settings.

Healthy Indian children aged 4-14 years walked a mean of 365.3 m in the six-minute walk test on a 15-meter indoor course.

• 400 healthy school-going children were tested in a community-based cross-sectional study.
• Mean (SD) 6MWD was 365.3 (50.8) meters.
• Testing used a standardized 15-meter indoor course rather than the recommended 30-meter course.

Six-minute walk distance increased significantly with age and with body size measures.

• Distance increased with age, height, weight, and body mass index (all p<0.001).
• Anthropometric and baseline physiological parameters were recorded for each child.

No independent sex-based difference in 6MWD was observed after adjustment.

• Multivariable linear regression was used to identify determinants of 6MWD.
• The abstract states that after adjustment no independent sex-based differences were observed.

A predictive equation for 6MWD on the 15-meter course was derived from age, weight and BMI.

• 6MWD = 279.5 + 8.6 × age (years) + 2.7 × weight (kg) - 5.0 × BMI (kg/m2).
• The model had R2 = 0.62.
• Age and weight were positively associated and BMI negatively associated with distance in the model.

6MWD did not differ significantly by residence or school type.

• The abstract reports no significant differences by residence (e.g., urban versus rural) or by school type.
• Comparisons were made within the 400-child sample.

Age- and sex-specific percentile reference values for 6MWD were generated for the 15-meter course.

• Percentile reference values were produced for children aged 4-14 years.
• The study addresses limited normative data for Indian children, especially younger age groups, under pragmatic testing conditions.

The reference values and equation need external validation and comparison with the 30-meter course before broader use.

• The authors state that external validation is required.
• Direct comparison with the standard 30-meter course is required before application where longer courses are not feasible.
• The 15-meter course was chosen because 30-meter courses are often impractical in resource-limited settings.