Determinantes da distância percorrida no teste de caminhada de seis minutos em crianças e adolescentes com anemia falciforme

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish the determinants of the maximum walking distance of the six-minute walking test (6MWT) in children and adolescents with Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA). After initial screening, patients answered the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children and Adolescents, and 6MWT was conducted. Fifty- seven patients (57.9% male; 11.9±3.5 years) were evaluated. In a univariate analysis, age (p<0.0001), exercise-induced hemoglobin oxygen desaturation (p=0.008), and indirect bilirubin (p=0.008) were significantly associated with 6MWT. For the multivariate analysis model, only age (p<0.0001) and BMI (Body Mass Index) (p=0.047) were significantly associated with 6MWT and showed r=0.61 and r2=0.35 with p<0.001. The following equation, used to determine the 6MWD, was derived from the multivariate analysis: maximum 6MWD = 487.7 + (age x 18.3) – (BMI x 12). We concluded that the determinants of the maximum walking distance of the 6MWT in children and adolescents with SCA are positively related with age and negatively with BMI.