Pedometers and Walking Tests for Pulmonary Hypertension Patients

Pedometers and Walking Tests for Pulmonary Hypertension Patients: a First, Prospective Psychology and Concordance Study

Concordance between walking tests and pedometer data may seem like a logical outcome for pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients. However, many individuals have discordant results: results much worse or better during an in-hospital walking test as compared to real life activity.

The primary objective of this study is: to determine variables associated with discordance between the distance walked during an in-hospital 6-minute walking test (6MWT) and the average distance travelled per day (observed over a period of 28 days (2 × 14 days) using a pedometer) among PH patients.

Secondarily, the discordance between 6MWT results versus total pedometer recorded distance and versus maximum daily pedometer-recorded distance will be similarly studied. The aim of the study is also to search for variables associated with progression free survival. The relationships between pedometer data and self-reported dyspnea variation will be studied. Factorial analysis may be used to study the overall view of variable correlations and patient similarity/dissimilarity.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (PH), familial PH, or PH associated with various pathologies (groups I to IV of the international classification)
• New York Heart Association (NYHA) severity classes II to IV
• Incident cases, or prevalent cases with stable disease over the last 3 months
• Collection of informed written consent
• Affiliation with or beneficiary of a social security program (health insurance)
• Outpatient consulting at the hospital on the day of inclusion
• 6 minute walking test on day of inclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients protected or unable to give consent according to Article L1121-8 of the French Public Health Code (CSP)
• Pregnant or lactating women according to article L1121-5 of the CSP
• Vulnerable persons according to article L1121-6 of the CSP
• Simultaneous participation in any other research protocol
• It is impossible to correctly inform the patient (language barrier, etc.)
• The patient has already been included in the study