Comparison of the 2- and 6-minute walk test in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is often used to assess walking distance in multiple sclerosis (MS), but can be both time consuming for the investigator and exhausting for people with MS (pwMS). The present report compared the 6MWT scores of 40 ambulatory pwMS with their scores on the shorter 2-minute walk test (2MWT). The 2MWT estimated the 6MWT results with a mean relative error of 5% ( R2 = 0.96; p < 0.01). As the last 4-minute period of the 6MWT seems redundant, the 2MWT may be considered as a practical replacement for the 6MWT in routine clinical assessment.