title: Physical performance measures as a useful indicator of multiple geriatric syndromes in women aged 75 years and older.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify whether individual physical performance measures or a combination of measures is a better indicator of multiple geriatric syndromes (MGS) defined as the concomitant presence of more than one geriatric syndrome in an individual.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out cross-sectional analyses on data from 340 community-dwelling women aged 75 years and older (mean 80.0 years). We examined the following geriatric syndromes: urinary incontinence, falls, underweight, depression and functional decline. Trained testers measured usual gait speed (UGS), hand-grip strength and lower extremity performance (LEP) score derived from four LEP measures: tandem stance, chair stand test, alternate step and timed up-and-go (TUG). We categorized UGS to distinguish high- and low-performing participants using the established 1.0 m/s cut-off point. Applying the same population percentile (35.8%), we determined cut-off points for all individual measures and the LEP score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The UGS, TUG and LEP score had similar discriminating powers for MGS (each with area under receiver-operator curves [AUC] of 0.80), which were more significant than the discriminating powers of other individual measures (AUC = 0.69-0.76) when considered as continuous variables. A slow UGS, especially less than 1.0 m/s, was more strongly associated with MGS (odds ratio [OR] = 7.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.6-15.9) than the same percentiles for TUG (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.9-7.8) and LEP score (OR = 5.2, 95% CI = 2.5-10.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The UGS test alone might be sufficient in detecting MGS in women aged 75 years and older compared with a more comprehensive test battery.
authors: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Seino
authors: Noriko
authors: N
authors: Yabushita
authors: Mi-Ji
authors: MJ
authors: Kim
authors: Miyuki
authors: M
authors: Nemoto
authors: Songee
authors: S
authors: Jung
authors: Yosuke
authors: Y
authors: Osuka
authors: Yoshiro
authors: Y
authors: Okubo
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Figueroa
authors: Tomoaki
authors: T
authors: Matsuo
authors: Kiyoji
authors: K
authors: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013577:Syndrome
keywords: area under the receiver-operator curve; geriatric syndrome; older adults; physical performance; usual gait speed