Exertional Desaturation During the 6-Minute Walk Test vs Daily Life in People With Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease
Fibrotic interstitial lung disease (fILD) is characterized by fibrosis of the lung tissue that often progresses over time.1 Exertional desaturation is a common feature of fILD2 that often is treated with ambulatory oxygen therapy (AOT).3 The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is used commonly to identify the presence and extent of exertional desaturation and consequently guides prescription of AOT. It is unclear whether the 6MWT accurately detects desaturation during daily life in people with fILD.4 The primary aim of this study was to assess the relationship between exertional desaturation during the 6MWT and during daily life in people with fILD.