Table 3 Description of outcome measures used

Jones 2012 [40]

Yes [50]

NR

NR

Pancieri 2010 [22]

No

‘encouraged walking’

NR

Kasymjanova 2009 [25]

Yes [50, 67]

NR

1 x practice 1 x actual (on different days)

Mao 2007, Miller 2005 [26, 27]

Yes [20]

NR

NR

Saad 2007 [24]

Yes [50]

NR

NR

Parsons 2003 [39]

Yes [34, 68–72]

Yes

1 x practice, 1 x actual

Pierce 1994 [23]

Yes [73]

NR

3 (best value used)

Holden 1992 [41]

No

NR

2 (15-30 min interval)

ISWT

OM procedure referenced

Encouragement standardised

No of repeat Ax in testing session

Additional description

England 2012 [44]

Yes [59]

NR

1 x practice, 1 x actual

Participants wore COSMED K4 b² system (COSMED, Italy) to measure HR, VE and VO₂ throughout test

Win 2006; 2004 [30, 64]

Yes [59]

NR

1

HR and SpO₂ monitored and recorded at 30 second intervals throughout test

SCT

Equipment

Monitoring during test

Intensity

Outcome

Number of repeat Ax in testing session

Experience of assessors

Additional description

Brunelli 2012, 2010, 2008a, 2008b, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002 [20–21, 31, 32–35, 42–43,]

16 flights x 11 steps (0.155 m height)

Continuous verbal interaction to Ax SOB/ symptoms; HR; SpO₂

Pace of pt choice, asked to climb max no steps and stop for exhaustion, limiting SOB, leg fatigue or chest pain

No steps and time taken, minimum value SpO₂, exercise oxygen desaturation (= fall SpO₂ < 90% or fall >4%)

1

Physician

Calculations from test:

• Work = (step height in meters x steps per min x body weight in kg x 0.1635)[74]

• VO₂max (ml/min) = 5.8 x weight in kg + 151 + 10.1 x work) [74]

• VO₂max corrected for body surface area (ml/min²) = VO₂max / max HR

Pancieri 2010 [22]

6 flights x 12 steps (16.9 cm height), 30° incline

HR, SpO₂

Climb all steps in the shortest possible time with verbal encouragement between flights. Testing stopped for fatigue, limiting SOB, thoracic pain or exhaustion

Time taken

1

Koegelenberg 2008 [29]

12 flights x 10 steps (3.48 m b/t floors)

HR, SpO₂

Pt asked to climb ‘as fast and as high’ as they possibly could to a max elevation of 20 m

Altitude, time taken, speed of ascent

NR

NR

Stair climb considered completed if pt rested or more than 3 seconds or reached 20 m height Allowed to use rail only for balance

Nikolic 2008 [36]

92 steps (0.15 m height)

HR, SpO₂ (measured every 20 steps)

Pace of pt choice, asked to climb max no steps and stop for exhaustion, limiting SOB, leg fatigue or chest pain

No steps, time taken

1

Physician

Pt instructed not to use hand-rail

Toker 2007 [37]

20 steps per flight (15 cm height)

HR, SpO₂

Pt motivated to do their best and motivation

SpO₂ (pre, post, change), HR (pre, post, change), time taken

2

Resident doctor

Pate 1996 [38]

21 steps per flight (17.5 cm height)

HR, SpO₂

Moderate pace of pts choice, encouraged to exercise to a symptom-limited max and complete the flight of stairs they were on if possible

No steps, time taken, altitude (m), reason for stopping

1

NR

Test considered completed as soon as patient stopped for any reason Pt instructed not to use hand-rail

Holden 1992 [41]

11 steps per flight (0.17 m height)

SpO₂

Own pace

Altitude, time taken

1

Therapist

Calculations from test:

• Work = step height x steps per min x weight in kg x 0.1635

• VO₂ ml/min = 5.8 x weight in kg + 151 + (10.1 x work)

Physical activity

Equipment

Location of monitoring

Outcome

Duration of Ax

Position of sensor

Maddocks 2012 [47]

Uni-axial accelerometer ActivPAL^TM monitor (PAL Technologies Ltd., UK)

Home environment

Mean daily step count, number of sit-to-stand transitions, time in hrs spent sitting/lying, upright standing and upright stepping

7 days (6 full days of data)

Mid-third of anterior thigh of pts chosen leg

Grutsch 2011a, 2011b; Du-Quiton 2010 [48–50]

Actigraph Piezoelectric Accelerometer (Ambulatory Monitoring Inc., AMI, USA)

Group 1 (inpt) and group 2 (home environment)

Mean duration daytime activity (no of vertical/horizontal accelerations per min)

3-7 days

Non-dominant wrist

Novoa 2011 [51]

OMROM Walking Style Pro® pedometer

Home environment

Mean daily no total and aerobic steps; mean daily distance walked (km); mean daily time of aerobic activity (min)

Daytime only, daily Ax while waiting for surgery

Pedometer attached to waist band or belt

Maddocks 2010 [46]

Uni-axial accelerometer ActivPAL^TM monitor (PAL Technologies Ltd., UK)

Home environment

Mean daily step count and estimate energy expenditure (METh); acceptability (non-compliance in hours); optimal duration of monitoring

7 days (6 full days of data)

Mid-third of anterior thigh of dominant leg

Physical activity

Equipment

Location of monitoring

Outcome

Duration of Ax

Position of sensor

Maddocks 2012 [47]

Uni-axial accelerometer ActivPAL^TM monitor (PAL Technologies Ltd., UK)

Home environment

Mean daily step count, number of sit-to-stand transitions, time in hrs spent sitting/lying, upright standing and upright stepping

7 days (6 full days of data)

Mid-third of anterior thigh of pts chosen leg

Grutsch 2011a, 2011b; Du-Quiton 2010 [48–50]

Actigraph Piezoelectric Accelerometer (Ambulatory Monitoring Inc., AMI, USA)

Group 1 (inpt) and group 2 (home environment)

Mean duration daytime activity (no of vertical/horizontal accelerations per min)

3-7 days

Non-dominant wrist

Novoa 2011 [51]

OMROM Walking Style Pro® pedometer

Home environment

Mean daily no total and aerobic steps; mean daily distance walked (km); mean daily time of aerobic activity (min)

Daytime only, daily Ax while waiting for surgery

Pedometer attached to waist band or belt

Maddocks 2010 [46]

Uni-axial accelerometer ActivPAL^TM monitor (PAL Technologies Ltd., UK)

Home environment

Mean daily step count and estimate energy expenditure (METh); acceptability (non-compliance in hours); optimal duration of monitoring

7 days (6 full days of data)

Mid-third of anterior thigh of dominant leg

Muscle strength

Equipment

Muscle group movement

Participant position

No of assessors

Number of repeat Ax in testing session

Experience of assessors

Additional description

Trutschnigg 2008 [28]

Jamar HGD (Sammons Preston, Bolingbrook), position 3 on handle

Grip

Sitting, feet on ground shoulder width apart, Elb 90 ° F, wrist 0°, arm on arm rest [75]

NR

1-2 x practice 2 x 3reps actual (mean value used)

NR

Dominant hand Patient instructed when to start and stop contraction with a 3 second contraction time No encouragement

Brown 2005 [53]

Square design chair with firm seat 43 cm height and arm rests

Sit to stand

Seated

NR

NR

NR

Pt asked to rise from seated position to fully upright position as fast as they could, if possible without using arm rests

Knols 2002 [52]

Mecmesin FB50K pull-gauge HHD, Mecmesin, England

Elb E, Knee E

1. Supine, Elb 90 °F, upper edge pull- attachment perpendicular to ulnar side of forearm distal to caput ulnae, non-elastic belt over ASIS stabilised pt on table

2 (random order) 30 min interval

6 x practice 3 x actual (60 second interval)

Physiotherapist

Dominant UL and LL Ax – identified by asking participant to throw a ball and kick a ball (preferred stance leg chosen) Figures also provided for both testing positions ‘Make’ test used Pt asked to increase force over 2 seconds and maintain for another 5 seconds

2. sitting edge of table upright no back support, knee 90 °F, stabilise trunk by grasping table, lower edge pull-attachment perpendicular to ant surface tibia, distal to end med mall