Reprodutibilidade intra e inter-avaliador e validade do teste de marcha estacionária de seis minutos associado à realidade virtual em pacientes com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to promote the importance of evaluating the functional capacity of patients with COPD and the wide variety of tests available. The Six-Minutes Stationary walk Test associated with Virtual Reality (STVR-6) was created to face the limitations of current evaluation tests. It does not require a large physical space, sophisticated equipment and/or high cost, and can be performed by only one evaluator. It also provides the volunteer with an integrative and fun evaluation, in a practical and simple way. AIMS: Evaluate intra- and inter-rater reproducibility and to verify the validity of the STVR-6 criteria. METHODS: Were evaluated 50 volunteers with COPD over the course of three days; The STVR-6 was performed on the first two days (each day by a different evaluator), and the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) on the third day. The variables for the Distance traveled on the 6MWT (D6MWT) and for the number of steps (NS) in the STVR-6 were obtained, being collected and analyzed expiratory gases in both tests. RESULTS: Relative reproducibility was found for CCI values: 0.94-0.57 (p <0.001), between NP and the highest value of Oxygen Consumption during the test (VO2 peak), intra and inter-rater. In the absolute reproducibility, the values of Standard Error of Measure and Minimum Detectable Difference were verified and in Bland Altman the Mean Error (ME) was 21 and 17 steps and 0.002 and 0.242ml/min/kg, intra and inter-rater, respectively. Pearson's correlation values were 0.75-0.58 (p <0.001) between peak NP and VO2 peak. CONCLUSIONS: STVR-6 has excellent intra-rater reproducibility and excellent to moderate inter-rater, but with high values of error measures, demonstrating that there is learning effect and the need to perform at least two tests. In addition, there is a high to moderate correlation between STVR-6 and the 6MWT. Therefore, STVR-6 proved to be reproducible and valid for evaluating the functional exercise capacity of patients with COPD.