6 research outputs found
Prevalence and factors associated with poor performance in the 5âchair stand test: findings from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II and proposed Newcastle protocol for use in the assessment of sarcopenia
Background Poor performance in the 5âchair stand test (5âCST) indicates reduced lower limb muscle strength. The 5âCST has been recommended for use in the initial assessment of sarcopenia, the accelerated loss of muscle strength and mass. In order to facilitate the use of the 5âCST in sarcopenia assessment, our aims were to (i) describe the prevalence and factors associated with poor performance in the 5âCST, (ii) examine the relationship between the 5âCST and gait speed, and (iii) propose a protocol for using the 5âCST. Methods The populationâbased study Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II recruited people aged 65 years and over from defined geographical localities in Cambridgeshire, Newcastle, and Nottingham. The study collected data for assessment of functional ability during home visits, including the 5âCST and gait speed. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess the associations between factors including the SARCâF questionnaire and the category of 5âCST performance: fast (15 s), or unable, with slow/unable classed as poor performance. We reviewed previous studies on the protocol used to carry out the 5âCST. Results A total of 7190 participants aged 65+ from the three diverse localities of Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II were included (54.1% female). The proportion of those with poor performance in the 5âCST increased with age, from 34.3% at age 65â69 to 89.7% at age 90+. Factors independently associated with poor performance included positive responses to the SARCâF questionnaire, physical inactivity, depression, impaired cognition, and multimorbidity (all P < 0.005). Most people with poor performance also had slow gait speed (57.8%) or were unable to complete the gait speed test (18.4%). We found variation in the 5âCST protocol used, for example, timing until a participant stood up for the fifth time or until they sat down afterwards. Conclusions Poor performance in the 5âCST is increasingly common with age and is associated with a cluster of other factors that characterize risk for poor ageing such as physical inactivity, impaired cognition, and multimorbidity. We recommend a low threshold for performing the 5âCST in clinical settings and provide a protocol for its use