LAUSR

Background: In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), some physiological parameters measured during a 6-min walk test (6-MWT) impart reliable prognostic information. Sit-to-stand tests (STSTs) are field exercise tests that are easier to implement than the 6-MWT in daily practice. Objectives: The aims of the study were to test the reproducibility and compare 2 STSTs (the 1-min STST [1-STST] and the semi-paced 3-min chair rise test [3-CRT]) in IPF, and to determine if selected physiological parameters (speed of displacement and changes in pulse oxygen saturation [SpO2]) are interchangeable between the STSTs and the 6-MWT. Methods: Thirty-three patients with stable IPF were studied in 3 French expert centers. To test reproducibility, intra-class correlations (ICCs) of parameters measured during tests performed 7–14 days apart were calculated. To test interchangeability, the agreement and correlation of physiological responses measured during STSTs and during 6-MWT were studied. Results: Vertical displacements and changes in SpO2 during both STSTs were reproducible, with ICCs ranging from 0.78 [0.63–0.87] to 0.95 [0.92–0.97]. Vertical displacements during 1-STST and 3-CRT were correlated with 6-MWT distance (correlation coefficients (r) of 0.72 and 0.77, respectively; p < 0.001). Similarly, correlations were found between changes in SpO2 measured during the 2 STSTs and the 6-MWT, with coefficients ranging from 0.73 to 0.91 (p < 0.001). Distance walked and SpO2 during 6-MWT were well estimated from vertical displacement and SpO2 during the 2 STSTs, respectively. Conclusion: The correlations found between the 2 STSTs and the 6-MWT suggest that STSTs may be of interest to assess displacement and exercise-induced changes in SpO2 in IPF patients.