Article

The timed up and go (TUG) test is a commonly used assessment in older people with
variations including the addition of a motor or cognitive dual-task, however in
high functioning older adults it is more difficult to assess change. The
quantified TUG (QTUG) uses inertial sensors to detect test and gait parameters
during the test. If it is to be used in the longitudinal assessment of older
adults, it is important that we know which parameters are reliable and under
which conditions. This study aims to examine the relative reliability of the QTUG
over five consecutive days under single, motor and cognitive dual-task
conditions. Twelve community dwelling older adults (10 females, mean age 74.17
(3.88)) performed the QTUG under three conditions for five consecutive days. The
relative reliability of each of the gait parameters was assessed using
intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC 3,1) and standard error of measurement
(SEM). Five of the measures demonstrated excellent reliability (ICC>0.70) under
all three conditions (time to complete test, walk time, number of gait cycles,
number of steps and return from turn time). Measures of variability and turn
derived parameters demonstrated weak reliability under all three conditions
(ICC=0.05-0.49). For the most reliable parameters under single-task conditions,
the addition of a cognitive task resulted in a reduction in reliability
suggesting caution when interpreting results under these conditions. Certain
sensor derived parameters during the QTUG test may provide an additional resource
in the longitudinal assessment of older people and earlier identification of
falls risk.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS