Gait speed and 6-minute walking distance are useful for identifying difficulties in activities of daily living in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Abstract Background Difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL) is common in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is associated with mortality. Objectives The relationship between gait speed/6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and difficulties in ADL in patients with CVD was explored. Methods The study population consisted of 447 patients with CVD for whom data on gait speed, 6MWD, and difficulty in ADL during outpatient rehabilitation were available. Relationships of gait speed/6MWD and difficulty in ADL were examined using propensity-adjusted logistic regression analysis. Results Both gait speed and 6MWD were significantly related to difficulty in ADL, and the areas under the curves were large. The cutoff values ranged from 0.93 to 1.30 m/s for gait speed and 370 to 500 m for 6MWD, from basic ADL to vigorous activities. Conclusions Both gait speed and 6MWD were used for the estimation of difficulty in ADL in patients with CVD. Gait speed can be measured easily and therefore could be incorporated in busy clinical practice to identify patients at risk for functional decline.