Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40556501›Full record

ArticleDevelopmental medicine and child neurology2026

Six-minute walk test reference values in ambulatory children with myelomeningocele.

Karina A Zapata, Rosa H Cooksey, Daralyn K Fulton, Hayley B Shelton, Chan-Hee Jo, Richard C Adams

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Article in Developmental medicine and child neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Karina A ZapataResearch Department, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0187-5648
Rosa H CookseyCare Management Utilization Department, Cook Children's Health Care System, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
Daralyn K FultonResearch Department, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX, USA.
Hayley B SheltonTherapy Services, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX, USA.
Chan-Hee JoResearch Department, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX, USA.
Richard C AdamsPediatric Developmental Disabilities Department, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo determine the baseline pediatric reference values of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance (6MWD) across spina bifida functional lesion levels, the associations between the 6MWD and the distances of the 1-minute and 2-minute walk tests, and assess the impact of social determinants on the 6MWD.

methodThis prospective cohort study collected the 6MWD of 145 ambulatory children (72 male, 73 female; mean age = 11 years 2 months [range: 6 years 0 months-17 years 11 months]) with mid-lumbar-level (n = 59), low-lumbar-level (n = 28), and sacral-level (n = 58) myelomeningocele at a pediatric hospital. Proxies of social determinants included insurance type and Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Pairwise comparisons evaluated the 6MWD according to lesion level and myelomeningocele functional classification (MMFC) group.

resultsThe mean 6MWD was shorter for myelomeningocele at the mid-lumbar versus low-lumbar versus sacral lesion levels (p < 0.001), and MMFC2 versus MMFC3 versus MMFC4 (p < 0.001). The mean 1-minute and 2-minute walking distances were strongly associated with the 6MWD. Children with public insurance and a high ADI walked significantly fewer meters than children with private insurance (p = 0.023) and a low ADI (p = 0.048).

interpretationChildren with higher anatomical functional lesion levels walked shorter distances than those with lower levels and according to MMFC group. The 1-minute and 2-minute walk tests are adequate substitutes for the 6MWT. Lower socioeconomic status affecting decreased walking capacity merits interventions to maximize opportunities for activity.

Indexed as

MeningomyeloceleWalkingWalk TestAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHumansInfantMaleProspective StudiesReference Values

Identifiers

PMID40556501
PMCPMC12683316

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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.