Does the level of encouragement affect 6-minute walk test performance in patients with intermittent claudication? A protocol for a randomised multicentre controlled trial

Plain English Summary Why we are undertaking the research: Peripheral artery disease is a common problem where the blood vessels in the leg are narrowed by fatty build-ups. These fatty deposits may restrict blood flow which causes pain during exercise and limits how far people can walk. To assess a patient’s maximal walking distance, clinicians may use a 6-minute walk test whereby patients are asked to walk as far as possible in six minutes. Currently, encouragement is recommended during the test to ensure the patient walks as far as possible. However, the optimal frequency of this encouragement is still debated and may prove an important factor to guarantee the patient performs to the best of their ability. What we aim to do: We plan to run an investigation to assess whether the frequency of encouragement delivered by an exercise professional affects how far a patient can walk during a 6-minute walk test. People with peripheral artery disease will be asked to enrol in a 6-minute walk test every week for six weeks. During each of their six tests they will receive standardised encouragement at either 1-minute or 2-minute intervals. Following all the tests, the two groups will have their average maximal walking distances compared. At the end of the study we hope to gain an insight into how often standardised encouragement should be delivered during a 6- minute walk test. We also hope to be able to inform future guidelines of the best way to conduct this highly utilised test in people with peripheral artery disease