title: Dysmobility syndrome: current perspectives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A new term, dysmobility syndrome, has recently been described as a new approach to identify older people at risk of poor health outcomes. The aim was to undertake a systematic review of the existing research literature on dysmobility syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  All articles reporting dysmobility syndrome were identified in a systematic review of Medline (Proquest), CINAHL, PubMed, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and Scopus databases. Key characteristics of identified studies were extracted and summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The systematic review identified five papers (three cross-sectional, one case control, and one longitudinal study). No intervention studies were identified. Prevalence of dysmobility syndrome varied between studies (22%-34% in three of the studies). Dysmobility syndrome was shown to be associated with reduced function, increased falls and fractures, and a longitudinal study showed its significant association with mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early research on dysmobility syndrome indicates that it may be a useful classification approach to identify older people at risk of adverse health outcomes and to target for early interventions. Future research needs to standardize the optimal mix of measures and cut points, and investigate whether balance performance may be a more useful factor than history of falls for dysmobility syndrome.
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Kaela
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Farrier
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Elissa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burton
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001823:Body Composition; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D053580:Muscle Strength; D015995:Prevalence; D013577:Syndrome
keywords: elderly; functional decline; mobility