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. 2022 Sep 25;19(19):12145.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912145.

A Proposed Method of Converting Gait Speed and TUG Test in Older Subjects

Joanna Kostka  1 , Natalia Sosowska  2 , Agnieszka Guligowska  2 , Tomasz Kostka  2
Affiliations

A Proposed Method of Converting Gait Speed and TUG Test in Older Subjects

Joanna Kostka et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Sarcopenia is one of the most important health problems in advanced age. In 2019, the European Working Group of Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) updated the operational diagnostic criteria for identification of people with sarcopenia (EWGSOP2). Among the two proposed low performance measures of sarcopenia are gait speed and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Usage of any of those tools requires recalculation for the second one for eventual comparisons. The simple linear regression has been used for such comparisons in several previous studies, but the appropriateness of such an approach has not been verified. The aim of this study is to find the most appropriate model describing the relationship between these two popular measures of physical function. The study was performed in 450 consecutive outpatients of the Geriatric Clinic of the Medical University of Lodz, Poland, aged 70 to 92 years who volunteered to participate in the study. The TUG test and gait speed at 4 m to assess physical function were used. Different alternative models were compared to obtain the highest R-squared values. A Reciprocal-Y model (R-squared = 71.9%) showed the highest performance, followed by a Logarithmic-Y square root-X model (R-squared = 69.3%) and a Reciprocal-Y square root-X model (R-squared = 69.1%). The R-squared for the linear model was 49.5%. For the selected reciprocal model, the correlation coefficient was 0.85 and the equation of the fitted model was: Gait speed (m/s) = 1/(-0.0160767 + 0.101386 × TUG). In conclusion, in independent community-dwelling older adults, the relationship between gait speed and the TUG test in older subjects is nonlinear. The proposed reciprocal model may be useful for recalculations of gait speed or TUG in future studies.

Keywords: Timed Up and Go; frailty; functional status; sarcopenia; walking speed.

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Conflict of interest statement

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 450 subjects (regression line, 95% prediction limits); (b) the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 315 women (regression line, 95% prediction limits); (c). the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 135 men (regression line, 95% prediction limits).
Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 450 subjects (regression line, 95% prediction limits); (b) the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 315 women (regression line, 95% prediction limits); (c). the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 135 men (regression line, 95% prediction limits).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 368 subjects with TUG ≤ 10 s (regression line, 95% prediction limits); (b) the relationship of Timed Up and Go to gait speed in 82 subjects with TUG > 10 s (regression line, 95% prediction limits).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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