ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and treadmill walk tests (TMW) are commonly used to assess post-stroke patients (PSP) aerobic capacity. However, these tests are not without their limitations (e.g. limited sensitivity to change and the use of external pacing). Therefore, there is a need for additional tools to assess PSP aerobic capacity. OBJECTIVE: To establish the feasibility, convergent validity, and metabolic, cardiac, and respiratory responses of a stair climbing test (SC), among chronic PSP. METHODS: Nineteen chronic PSP conducted SC, TMW, and 6 MWT. Metabolic (oxygen consumption - VO2), cardiac (heart rate), and respiratory (ventilation volume, breathing frequency, and tidal volume) measures were established. Adverse events were documented. Correlations established the convergent validity of the SC test. A repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to compare the participant's physiological responses at the end of the various tests. RESULTS: SC is feasible and safe, as all participants completed the test with no adverse events. The SC demonstrated convergent validity as numerous associations were found between SC and TMW, and 6 MWT. Metabolic, cardiac, and respiratory responses to the SC were significantly higher than these of the TMW and 6 MWT (e.g. VO2= 13.43 ± 2.19, 11.01 ± 2.0, and 11.26 ± 1.87âml/kg/min, respectively) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SC is a feasible and valid test within chronic PSP. SC is more metabolically demanding than TMW and 6 MW and therefore, may enable appropriate endurance capacity measurement, especially for high functioning PSP. Negotiating stairs is a common community ambulation requirement. Therefore, it is appropriate to incorporate SC test in PSP testing battery.
