A Comparative Study of Three Min Respiratory Exercise Test & Six Min Walk Test as a Means to Score Breathlessness in COPD Patients and Normal Healthy Individuals

Abstract

The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2011 update recommends that
the management and treatment of COPD be made to combine the impact of disease and future risk of
exacerbation.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare 3MRET & 6MWT as a means to score breathlessness
in COPD patients & normal healthy individuals along with to analyse and compare POD index of 3MRET
& walking POD index of 6MWT in COPD patients, normal healthy individuals and to analyse whether
POD index of 3MRET or walking POD index of 6MWT is a better means to score breathlessness in COPD
patients when compared with normal healthy individuals.
Material and Method: It was observational comparative study conducted in respiratory Physiotherapy set
up on 45 Normal healthy individuals and 45 COPD patients between the age group 30-50 years.
Results: Study found that there is a statistically highly significant difference between POD index of 3MRET
and walking pod index of 6MWT in COPD patients. There is a statistically highly significant difference
between the POD index of 3 MRET and walking pod index of 6MWT in normal healthy individuals. MRET
is a better means to score breathlessness in COPD patients as compared to normal healthy individuals. It was
found that 3MRET is a better means to score breathlessness as compared to 6 min walk test