Physical performance on the early 6-minute walk test in coronary artery bypass grafting patients during inpatient cardiac rehabilitation.

Background: The 6 min walk test (6MWT) is widely used to evaluate functional exercise capacity, therapeutic effects, and prognosis in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases. However, its application in phase I cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains under explored. This study investigates the physical performance of CABG patients during the early 6MWT and analyzes factors influencing their walking performance during inpatient CR. Methods: This retrospective study included 360 patients who underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB, Results: The median 6 min walk distance (6MWD) was 183 ± 125 meters (33 ± 20% of predicted). Notably, the walking distances were significantly shorter in OPCAB patients than MIDCAB patients (175 ± 125 vs. 200 ± 134 meters, Conclusion: This study is the first to describe early 6MWD in CABG patients during phase I CR. The 6MWT is feasible and well-tolerated in adults and older patients shortly after CABG. The findings provide valuable insights into factors affecting walking distance, aiding clinical assessment and informing phase II CR program development post-discharge.