A Comparison of Objective Physical Performance Tests and Future Mortality in the Elderly People.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the prognostic usefulness of various physical performance tests, including walking-related measures, for predicting mortality in older adults.
Results Summary
The study found that slow gait speed, 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were significant predictors of mortality in older adults, with 6MWT showing the highest predictive value in men and SPPB in women.
Population
Community-dwelling older adults (mean age not specified, but participants were from the Progetto Veneto Anziani study).
Effective Dosage
Not specified (physical performance tests were measured, not administered as interventions).
Duration
Mean follow-up of 4.4 years.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) | increase | mortality | community-dwelling older men and women | - | significant predictor of mortality | #1 |
4-meter gait speed | increase | mortality | community-dwelling older men and women | - | significant predictor of mortality | #2 |
6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT) | increase | mortality | community-dwelling older men and women | - | significant predictor of mortality | #3 |
6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT) | increase | mortality | men | C-index = 0.735; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.701-0.770, p < .0001 | highest C-index | #4 |
Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) | increase | mortality | women | C-index = 0.781; 95% CI: 0.740-0.822, p = .0009 | highest C-index | #5 |
BACKGROUND: Physical performance is an important predictor of mortality, but little is known on the comparative prognostic utility of different objective physical performance tests in community-dwelling older adults. We compared the prognostic usefulness of several objective physical performance tests on mortality, adjusting our analyses for potential confounders. METHODS: Among 3,099 older community-dwelling participants included in the Progetto Veneto Anziani study, 2,096 were followed for a mean of 4.4 years. Physical performance tests measured were Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 4-meter gait speed, chair stands time, leg extension and flexion, handgrip strength, and 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), treated as continuous variables and categorized in gender-specific quartiles. The main outcome was mortality assessed with death certificates. RESULTS: Participants who died during the follow-up (n = 327) scored significantly worse in all physical performance tests measured at baseline than those who survived (n = 1,769). Using a Harrell's C-index, the highest C-index was observed for 6MWT in men (C-index = 0.735; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.701-0.770, p < .0001) and SPPB in women (C-index = 0.781; 95% CI: 0.740-0.822, p = .0009). However, in both genders, only SPPB, 4-meter walking speed, and 6MWT are significant predictors of mortality. Analyses using sex-specific quartiles substantially confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS: Slow gait speed, 6MWT, and SPPB are significant predictors for mortality in community-dwelling older men and women. Physicians should consider using these tests to identify elderly individuals who are at higher risk of death to improve clinical decision making.