Publication: Six-Minute Walk Test as a Discharge Criterion and Predictor of Three-Month Readmission in Pulmonary Medicine Patients
| creativeworkseries.issn | ISSN 2822-1893 eISSN 2822-2016 | |
| dc.contributor.author | Krishna Shrestha, Sanjeet | |
| dc.contributor.author | Poudel, Saroj | |
| dc.contributor.author | Lama, Rakesh | |
| dc.contributor.author | Giri, Rashmi | |
| dc.contributor.author | Karthak, Ashish | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gurung, Naresh | |
| dc.contributor.author | Singh, Summer J | |
| dc.contributor.author | Bhattarai, Sanjeet | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-02-01T07:57:56Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-02-01T07:57:56Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | Sanjeet Krishna Shrestha Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal Saroj Poudel Department of Critical Care Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal Rakesh Lama Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal Rashmi Giri Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal Ashish Karthak Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal Naresh Gurung Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal Summer J Singh Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal Sanjeet Bhattarai Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Nepal Mediciti, Lalitpur, Nepal | |
| dc.description.abstract | Abstract; Background: The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a commonly used tool for measuring functional capacity and predicting outcomes in respiratory disease patients. Objective: To determine the three-month readmission rate among patients who have completed and those who have not completed the 6MWT at hospital discharge. Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital between June and August 2024 with, 250 respiratory disease patients admitted through the Emergency Department or OPD to the respiratory ward. All patients received a 6MWT before discharge, per ATS guidelines, which measures six-minute walk distance (6MWD), oxygen supplementation, and Borg scale scores for dyspnea and fatigue. Readmission was monitored for three-month periods through OPD visits. Results: Out of 250 patients, the mean age was 65.2 ± 14.0 years, and 46.8% were male. 80.4% of patients passed the test, and 19.6% failed. Oxygen supplementation was required by 28.8%, with comparable pass rates in both groups. The three-month readmission rate was 12.4%, with significantly higher odds among those patients who failed (34.7%, OR=6.94) versus those who passed (7.0%). Patients walking less than 300 meters had a 4.52-fold higher readmission risk, an each 100-meter increase in 6MWT reduced odds by 20 (OR=0.8). Most patients reported minimal dyspnea (49.2%) and fatigue (44.4%). Conclusion: The 6MWT served as an important assessment for the functional capacity of patients with respiratory disease. Failure to complete the test (OR=6.94) or walking less than 300 meters (OR=4.52) considerably increased the risk of readmission. The test is, therefore, a useful predictor for determining readmission risk and discharge criteria. Further research is required to explore interventions that will enhance the functional capacity and prevent readmission. | |
| dc.identifier | https://doi.org/10.3126/nrj.v4i1.83191 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14572/4412 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | Nepalese Respiratory Society | |
| dc.subject | 6-minute walk test | |
| dc.subject | discharging criteria | |
| dc.subject | functional capacity | |
| dc.title | Six-Minute Walk Test as a Discharge Criterion and Predictor of Three-Month Readmission in Pulmonary Medicine Patients | |
| dc.type | Article | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| local.article.type | Original Article | |
| oaire.citation.endPage | 33 | |
| oaire.citation.startPage | 27 | |
| relation.isJournalIssueOfPublication | 191aaf95-053b-4d4d-954f-4b5ec1147124 | |
| relation.isJournalIssueOfPublication.latestForDiscovery | 191aaf95-053b-4d4d-954f-4b5ec1147124 | |
| relation.isJournalOfPublication | 91ea7cc8-46b2-4796-94bd-2998c28b5ebb |