Alteration of the gait speed and the chair rise test: Is it the beginning of the frailty syndrome in institutionalized older women?

Abstract

Introduction: Old age begins at 65 years, generating physiological changes and
functional losses, such as frailty. Frailty is a multicausal and factorial syndrome that affects
strength, endurance and functionality, causing physical dependence or even death. The
early diagnosis of frailty creates an expectation of the quality of life and evolution of the
elderly. Objective: To recognize the presence of frailty in women in primary care using the
FRAIL scale and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and to establish
associations according to the level of functionality. Methods: Participants were elderly
women (n=55) from social welfare homes in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, N. L.; the
FRAIL scale and the SPPB were applied, determining the presence of frailty and the level
of physical performance to establish associations. Results: The FRAIL scale classified 13
women without frailty, 32 with pre-frailty and, 10 with frailty. While the SPPB: 30 women
with high physical performance, 18 with medium physical performance and, 7 with poor
physical performance. There is an inverse relationship between the presence and the gait
speed score (r = -0.347, p = 0.009), the higher physiological demand and lower weighting

was the chair rise test [(1.14 ± 1.06 vs. 3.63 ± 0.55), p = 0.0001]. Conclusions: Both
methods are useful in primary care to detect frailty, considering that the SPPB shows a
broader spectrum for the diagnosis of fragility. LUX MÉDICA AÑO 14, NÚMERO 42,
SEPT-DIC 2019, PP