The incremental shuttle walk test (ISW) is an externally-paced field walking test that
measures maximal exercise capacity1
and is widely used in patients with chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Its psychometric
properties, including reliability, construct validity2
and responsiveness to intervention,2-5
have been demonstrated in patients with bronchiectasis, but little data exist on the
minimum clinically important difference (MCID). Although two studies have investigated the
MCID of ISW in patients with bronchiectasis, the generalisability of these data is limited
because of the study sample characteristics,6
or did not involve an exercise-based
intervention.2
The MCID enables clinicians and researchers to understand the clinical
significance of change data and forms an important part of the evidence required by
regulatory agencies for approval for use in clinical trials. Accordingly, the aim of this study
was to provide MCID estimates of the ISW in response to intervention, namely PR, in
patients with bronchiectasis.