The five times sit to stand test: responsiveness to change and concurrent validity in adults undergoing vestibular rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine if patients with balance and vestibular disorders would demonstrate clinically meaningful improvement in the Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST) score as a result of vestibular rehabilitation and to determine the concurrent validity of the FTSST.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review of 351 people who underwent individualized outpatient vestibular rehabilitation programs.


METHODS
Outpatient tertiary balance and vestibular clinic.


METHODS
One hundred and seventeen patients (45 men, 72 women), mean age 62.7 years, with peripheral, central or mixed vestibular dysfunction.


METHODS
FTSST, gait speed, Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC).


RESULTS
The mean change in FTSST score was 2.7 seconds. Subjects demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the FTSST, gait speed, ABC, DHI, DGI and TUG after vestibular rehabilitation (p < 0.01). The responsiveness-treatment coefficient (RT) was calculated as 0.58 for the FTSST indicating moderate responsiveness. Logistic regression showed that an improvement in the FTSST of greater than 2.3 seconds resulted in an odds ratio of 4.67 for demonstrating clinical improvement in DHI, compared with a change less than 2.3 seconds. The univariate linear regression model for baseline FTSST predicting FTSST change was significant (p < 0.01) and predicted 49% of the change variance. The FTSST scores demonstrated a moderate correlation with gait speed and the TUG (p< 0.01). FTSST improvement subsequent to vestibular rehabilitation was moderately correlated with improvements in the DGI and the TUG scores (p< 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The FTSST was moderately responsive to change over time and was moderately related to measures of gait and dynamic balance.
Meretta
Bridget M
BM
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, UT, USA. Bmeretta@hotmail.com
Whitney
Susan L
SL
Marchetti
Gregory F
GF
Sparto
Patrick J
PJ
Muirhead
Robb J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance; D012372:ROC Curve; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests / Q000379:methods*