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Observational Study
. 2025 Jun 25:57:jrm42665.
doi: 10.2340/jrm.v57.42665.

Are the 6-minute walk test and the 2-minute walk test equivalent in acute and subacute stroke survivors in Belgium and Vietnam: a multicultural study

Duy Thanh Nguyen  1 , Chloé Sauvage  2 , Claire Questienne  3 , Michel Duchène  3 , Duan Van Nguyen  4 , Dung Tan Nguyen  5 , Massimo Penta  6
Affiliations
Observational Study

Are the 6-minute walk test and the 2-minute walk test equivalent in acute and subacute stroke survivors in Belgium and Vietnam: a multicultural study

Duy Thanh Nguyen et al. J Rehabil Med. .

Abstract

Objective: To test the equivalence of the 6-minute walk test and the 2-minute walk test in stroke survivors in a multicultural setting, focusing on reliability, performance, and associations with clinical and anthropometric factors.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Subjects/patients: 238 participants (119 stroke survivors and 119 healthy individuals matched for age and sex).

Methods: Participants were assessed using the 6-minute walk test and the 2-minute walk test in Belgium and Vietnam. Stroke survivors were assessed in the acute and subacute phases (17 days post-stroke) and reassessed after 1-3 days.

Results: The 6-minute walk test and the 2-minute walk test showed high test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.96). The difference between the two tests was not significant in terms of walking distance reduction in stroke survivors relative to healthy participants (1.4%), not clinically meaningful for walking speed (0.026 m/s), and not significant in chronotropic response (1.6 bpm). The correlation between the 2 tests in stroke survivors was high (r = 0.93) and walking distance was moderately related to height, weight, and phase, and type of stroke (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The 6-minute walk test and the 2-minute walk test exhibited similar results in measuring the impact of stroke on walking performance. The similarity between Belgium and Vietnam further supports the clinical equivalence of both tests among acute and subacute stroke survivors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distance walked during the first and second assessment with the 6-Minute walk test (6MWT) and with the 2-minute walk test (2MWT). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) shows excellent test–retest reliability for both tests in stroke participants (n = 67).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Walked distances in stroke participants (n = 119) and healthy matched participants (n = 119) in Belgium and Vietnam during the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and the 2-Minute Walk Test (2MWT).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Illustration of the equivalence of the 6MWT and 2MWT to assess walking performance in mild to moderate stroke participants (n = 119), according to (A) the correlation between the walking speed during the 6MWT and the 2MWT; (B) the box plot of the median walking speed during the 6MWT and the 2MWT; (C) the agreement between the walking speed measured during the 6MWT and the 2MWT relative to the mean difference (plain line) and agreement lines set at ±1.96 SD from the mean (dashed lines); and (D) the box plot of the chronotropic response during the 6MWT and 2MWT.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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