The timed walk test as a measure of severity and survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a relentlessly progressive disease with a median survival of ∼3 yrs. Measurements of airflow and lung volumes at rest are generally used to monitor the clinical course in this disorder. This study was designed to determine if a modified version of the 6-min walk test, called the timed walk test, accurately characterises disease severity and survival in IPF.