Disclosures: Armando S. Miciano, Jr., MD FAAPMR: Nothing to disclose

Objective : Describe muscle performance (MP) of clinically slow older adults (CSO); quantify body function (BF), activity limitation (AL) and participation restriction (PR) of CSO; and, investigate inter-relationship of MP with BF, AL, and PR status of CSO.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study

Setting: PMR clinic

Participants: 26 adults >/=65 years old (14 men; mean age (SD) male/female 69(12),75(10) years) were identified as clinically slow older adults (CSO), defined as <2.2 miles per hour by 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT).

Interventions: N/A

Main Outcome Measures: MP measures explored the muscle subsystem: body composition (skeletal muscle index assessed by bioelectric impedance analysis; body mass index); speed, by 6MWT; strength, by dynamometer testing; power, by Dynamic Gait Index (DGI); and, balance, by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The PROMIS-57v2.0 sub-scales described: BF via PROMIS-57-fatigue (PROMIS-FA); AL via PROMIS-57-physical-function (PROMIS-PF); and, PR via PROMIS-57-satisfaction-with-social-role (PROMIS-SSR).

Results: After testing for normality using Shapiro-Wilk statistics and examining measures of skewness and kurtosis, data met normality assumptions and hence parametric procedures (t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlations) were used. Variables found to differ significantly (mean (SD) male/female) by gender: males with higher dynamometer (P =.004) readings 30.87(11)/21.67(7) kg and higher SMI (P =.002) with 13.35(3.46)/8.96(1.67) kg/m². CSO mean (SD) scores were: BMI 29.68(3); 6MWT 1.66(0.35) mph; DGI 19(4); BBS 45(8); PROMIS-FA 56.5(8); PROMIS-PF 34.39(5); and, PROMIS-SSR 39.72(10). CSOs had significantly lower 6MWT (P <.001), lower BBS (P =.001), lower DGI (P =.008), and higher PROMIS-FA (P =.034). 6MWT significantly correlated with: dynamometer (r=.53; P =.001), BBS (r=.485; P =.003), and DGI (r=.520; P =.001).

Conclusions: CSOs have mild BF changes (specifically fatigue), severe AL, and severe PR. CSOs tend to have higher fatigue, lower balance, and lower power scores when compared to non-CSO. Speed in older adults significantly correlated with other MP markers (strength, balance, power), supporting the target of said MP markers in CSO interventions. Further research should be on inter-relationships of BF, AL, and PR in other geriatric syndromes.

Level of Evidence: Level II

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/muscle-performance-of-clinically-slow-older-adults/