Physical performance measures in the clinical setting
- PMID: 12588574
- DOI: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2003.51104.x
Physical performance measures in the clinical setting
Abstract
Objectives: To assess the ability of gait speed alone and a three-item lower extremity performance battery to predict 12-month rates of hospitalization, decline in health, and decline in function in primary care settings serving older adults.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Setting: Primary care programs of a Medicare health maintenance organization (HMO) and Veterans Affairs (VA) system.
Participants: Four hundred eighty-seven persons aged 65 and older.
Measurements: Lower extremity performance Established Population for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) battery including gait speed, chair stands, and tandem balance tests; demographics; health care use; health status; functional status; probability of repeated admission scale (Pra); and primary physician's hospitalization risk estimate.
Results: Veterans had poorer health and higher use than HMO members. Gait speed alone and the EPESE battery predicted hospitalization; 41% (21/51) of slow walkers (gait speed <0.6 m/s) were hospitalized at least once, compared with 26% (70/266) of intermediate walkers (0.6-1.0 m/s) and 11% (15/136) of fast walkers (>1.0 m/s) (P <.0001). The relationship was stronger in the HMO than in the VA. Both performance measures remained independent predictors after accounting for Pra. The EPESE battery was superior to gait speed when both Pra and primary physician's risk estimate were included. Both performance measures predicted decline in function and health status in both health systems. Performance measures, alone or in combination with self-report measures, were more able to predict outcomes than self-report alone.
Conclusion: Gait speed and a physical performance battery are brief, quantitative estimates of future risk for hospitalization and decline in health and function in clinical populations of older adults. Physical performance measures might serve as easily accessible "vital signs" to screen older adults in clinical settings.
Similar articles
-
Improvement in usual gait speed predicts better survival in older adults.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007 Nov;55(11):1727-34. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01413.x. Epub 2007 Oct 3. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007. PMID: 17916121
-
Is timed up and go better than gait speed in predicting health, function, and falls in older adults?J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011 May;59(5):887-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03336.x. Epub 2011 Mar 15. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011. PMID: 21410448 Free PMC article.
-
Lower extremity function and subsequent disability: consistency across studies, predictive models, and value of gait speed alone compared with the short physical performance battery.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2000 Apr;55(4):M221-31. doi: 10.1093/gerona/55.4.m221. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2000. PMID: 10811152 Free PMC article.
-
Physical Function and Disability After Acute Care and Critical Illness Hospitalizations in a Prospective Cohort of Older Adults.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015 Oct;63(10):2061-9. doi: 10.1111/jgs.13663. Epub 2015 Sep 29. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015. PMID: 26415711 Free PMC article.
-
Self-reported walking ability predicts functional mobility performance in frail older adults.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000 Nov;48(11):1408-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb02630.x. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000. PMID: 11083316
Cited by
-
Updated Perspectives on the Role of Biomechanics in COPD: Considerations for the Clinician.Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2022 Oct 17;17:2653-2675. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S339195. eCollection 2022. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2022. PMID: 36274993 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Reliability and responsiveness of gait speed, five times sit to stand, and hand grip strength for patients in cardiac rehabilitation.Cardiopulm Phys Ther J. 2013 Mar;24(1):31-7. Cardiopulm Phys Ther J. 2013. PMID: 23754937 Free PMC article.
-
Elderly acute myeloid leukemia: assessing risk.Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2015 Jun;10(2):118-25. doi: 10.1007/s11899-015-0257-2. Curr Hematol Malig Rep. 2015. PMID: 25939828 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Gait speed is associated with death or readmission among patients surviving acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.BMJ Open Respir Res. 2020 Jun;7(1):e000542. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2019-000542. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2020. PMID: 32561512 Free PMC article.
-
Predictors of Change in Physical Function in Older Adults in Response to Long-Term, Structured Physical Activity: The LIFE Study.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Jan;98(1):11-24.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2016.07.019. Epub 2016 Aug 25. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017. PMID: 27568165 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical
Research Materials