ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 1980

Validation Of The Fox-Walk Test In People With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Birgitta Nordgren1, Cecilia Fridén2, Eva Jansson3, Ted Österlund4, Wilhelmus Johannes Andreas Grooten2, Christina H. Opava1 and Anette Rickenlund4,5, 1Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physical Therapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden, 2Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physical Therapy, Karolinska Institutet, SE 14183 Huddinge, Sweden, 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden, 4Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden, 5Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden

Meeting: 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: , ,

Session Information

Title: ARHP Imaging of Rheumatic Disease: Research Methodology

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ARHP)

Background/Purpose:

Aerobic capacity tests are important to evaluate exercise programs and to encourage individuals to a physically active lifestyle. Maximum aerobic tests in a laboratory setting are expensive and not always feasible for people with RA. Therefore several self monitoring submaximal tests have been developed. The Fox-walk test was designed to make it possible for healthy individuals to monitor their aerobic capacity themselves. The test is performed on tracks of different lengths and are located at several public places throughout Sweden and some other European countries. The test has earlier been shown to be reliable in people with RA. The aim of our study was to validate the Fox-walk test against measured maximum oxygen uptake (measured VO2max) in people with RA.

Methods:

Twenty seven subjects (81% female), mean (SD) age 62 (8.1) diagnosed with RA since 17.2 (11.7) years, activity limitation with the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire, (HAQ) 0.412 (0.421) and DAS 28, 2.44 (0.82) participated in the study. The subjects performed the measured VO2max (Alpha version 4.5, Jaeger, KFA-2028-01) and a 774 m Fox-walk test track within one week. To estimate VO2max, the walking time was recorded and age, gender, BMI, the height of the person and the topography of the track was taken into account.

Results:

Mean (SD) for the measured VO2max and the Fox-walk test was 33.2 (7.8) ml/kg/min and 44.2 (7.1) respectively. There was a significant difference between the two tests (p<0.0001). The correlation between the two tests was moderate, r = 0.52, (p = 0.006) and showed an overestimation of aerobic capacity in the Fox-walk test compared to the measured VO2max test.

Conclusion:

Since our earlier study showed high reliability of the Fox-walk test and the present study showed a moderate correlation compared to the measured VO2max test, it could be recommended as an easy way to monitor aerobic capacity without supervision from health professionals. However, most people were overestimated in the Fox-walk test and the formula could possibly be adjusted to people with RA.

Disclosure:

B. Nordgren,
None;

C. Fridén,
None;

E. Jansson,
None;

T. Österlund,
None;

W. J. A. Grooten,
None;

C. H. Opava,
None;

A. Rickenlund,
None.

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