Pulmonary function, computerized tomography features and six-minute walk test at three months in severe COVID-19 patients treated with intravenous pulsed methylprednisolone: a preliminary report

COVID-19 ARDS has a high mortality and few therapeutic options. We present a preliminary report on our experience using high-dose pulsed methylprednisolone in COVID-19 ARDS and three-month outcomes. We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients treated with high-dose methylprednisolone for COVID-19 ARDS and three-month lung function, 6MWT, and CT findings. 15 patients were treated of which 10 survived to discharge. Reduced DLCO was the commonest abnormality in lung function tests and had the lowest mean value. Parenchymal bands were the commonest CT finding and 50% of patients had fibrosis at three-months. Mean 6MWD was 65.4% predicted and was abnormal in 62.5% of patients. In this cohort of patients with COVID-19 ARDS treated with high-dose methylprednisolone pulses, CT, lung function, and 6MWT abnormalities were unsurprisingly common at three months, although all 10 patients treated early in their disease course survived, a possible therapeutic effect. Further randomised controlled trials are needed to assess the benefits of this treatment.

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Lung function in relation to six-minute walk test in pulmonary hypertension

European Clinical Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1080/20018525.2020.1745492 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 1745492

Author(s):

Amir Farkhooy ◽

Michaela Bellocchia ◽

Hans Hedenström ◽

Daniela Libertucci ◽

Caterina Bucca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Hypertension ◽

Lung Function ◽

Walk Test ◽

Six Minute Walk Test ◽

Minute Walk

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Comparison of Different Dyspnea Scales and Questionnaires with Six Minute Walk Test and Lung Function Tests in Symptomatic COPD Patients.

10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2009.179.1_meetingabstracts.a2931 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

LA Camargo ◽

CC Pereira

Keyword(s):

Lung Function ◽

Lung Function Tests ◽

Walk Test ◽

Six Minute Walk Test ◽

Function Tests ◽

Copd Patients ◽

Minute Walk

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Reference Value for the Distance Walked in the Six-Minute Walk Test in Obese Brazilian Men in the Preoperative Period of Bariatric Surgery

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2021/9577412 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Cesar Antonio Luchesa ◽

Thiago Thomaz Mafort ◽

Rafael Rodrigues da Silva ◽

Isabela Cristina Paro ◽

Fernanda Micheli de Souza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bariatric Surgery ◽

Lung Function ◽

Reference Value ◽

Poor Performance ◽

Walk Test ◽

Preoperative Period ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Six Minute Walk Test ◽

Reference Equation ◽

Minute Walk

Background. Obesity has several effects on the mechanics of the rib cage that may impair the exercise performance of obese individuals and therefore impact the assessment of surgical risk. This study aimed to establish a reference value for the 6-minute walk distance (6 MWD) in obese Brazilian men in the preoperative period of bariatric surgery that considers the effect of lung function. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study in which 104 obese men underwent the six-minute walk test (6 MWT) before bariatric surgery. They also underwent the spirometry test and respiratory muscle strength measurement before the 6 MWT. Results. The 6 MWD was correlated with age (r = −0.388, p = 0.0005 ), weight (r = −0.365, p = 0.0007 ), height (r = 0.285, p = 0.022 ), body mass index (BMI) (r = −0.543, p < 0.0001 ), forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = 0.472, p < 0.0001 ), peak expiratory flow (r = 0.253, p = 0.031 ), and maximal inspiratory pressure (r = 0.313, p = 0.017 ). In the stepwise forward regression analysis, BMI, FVC, and age were the only variables that independently predicted the 6 MWD and explained 40% of its variability. The reference equation proposed for obese Brazilian men is 6 MWD (m) = 570.5 − (3.984 × BMIkg/m2) + (1.093 × FVC%predicted) − (0.836 × ageyrs). Conclusion. In this sample of obese Brazilian men, lung function contributed to poor performance in the 6 MWT. In these individuals, BMI, FVC, and age were the variables that composed the reference equation for the 6 MWD. Thus, in several clinical settings, such as in the evaluation before bariatric surgery, pulmonary function data are important to determine the reference value for the 6 MWD.

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