SynthesisClinical rehabilitation2021
Measurement properties of step tests for exercise capacity in COPD: A systematic review.
Synthesis in Clinical rehabilitation, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Impact of Different Mobile Health Technologies on Physical Activity of COPD Patients: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical systems · 2025Pooled it
- Home-based and remote functional exercise testing in cardiac conditions, during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond: a systematic review.Physiotherapy · 2022Pooled it
- A systematic review of exercise studies for individuals hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Focus on the principles of exercise training.Chronic respiratory diseasePooled it
- Trial
- Cardiopulmonary Reactivity in Bulgarian National Taekwon-Do Team Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- Follow-Up of Cardiopulmonary Responses Using Submaximal Exercise Test in Older Adults with Post-COVID-19.Annals of geriatric medicine and research · 2024Article
- Bibliometric Review of the Step Test: A Comprehensive Analysis of Research Trends and Development.Sports medicine - open · 2024Review
- Measurement properties of the incremental step test for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2024Article
- The phase angle cut-off point capable of discriminating hemodialysis patients with reduced exercise tolerance: a cross-sectional study.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Assessment of Exercise Capacity in Post-COVID-19 Patients: How Is the Appropriate Test Chosen?Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- The Chester Step Test Is a Reproducible Tool to Assess Exercise Capacity and Exertional Desaturation in Post-COVID-19 Patients.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Validity and reliability of a new incremental step test for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.BMJ open respiratory research · 2022Article
- Effects of a Home-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in GOLD B Group: A Pilot Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Adapted Chester Step Test Can Have Maximal Response Characteristics for the Assessment of Exercise Capacity in Young Women.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine the level of evidence of the measurement properties (validity, reliability, and responsiveness) and interpretability of the step tests available for assessing the exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. DATA SOURCES: The data sources Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, PEDro, CENTRAL of Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched up to June 26, 2020. REVIEW
methodsStudies of any design that reported results for any measurement property of the step tests for assessing the exercise capacity in COPD patients were selected. One reviewer extracted the data, and two reviewers independently rated the level of evidence by using the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurements Instruments recommendations.
resultsThirty-one studies were included in the data synthesis. Chester Step Test, Modified Incremental Step Test, two-, three-, four-, and six-Minute Step Test, Paced Step Test, and six-Minute Stepper Test were identified. A step test protocol was also found. The level of evidence of their results for the measurement properties was mostly determined as "low" to "very low." The best level of evidence found was for the six-minute stepper test: "high" on construct validity (
conclusionThe general level of evidence of the measurement properties of the step tests is "low" to "very low" for assessing exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can limit their application in clinical practice. The six-minute Stepper Test is currently the most appropriate step test available.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.