8-Foot-Up-and-Go Test is Associated with Hospitalizations and Mortality in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Prospective Pilot Study

Effect of Ankle Weights as a Frailty Prevention Strategy in the Community-Dwelling Elderly: A Preliminary Report

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthy older adults have been less willing to engage in group exercise for fear of contracting this illness. Therefore, there is a need for an effective home-based exercise program to prevent frailty in the elderly. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of ankle weights as a frailty prevention device for older adults. The study participants were aged 50−90 years and were screened for falls using the Motor Fitness Scale. Participants were divided into two age groups (≤70 and >70 years) for analysis. Older community-dwelling adults were invited to use ankle weights for 3 months. Seventy-four people responded to the invitation. Physical and cognitive status and performance (body composition, grip strength, standing on one leg with eyes open, the 30 s chair stand test (CS-30), Timed Up and Go test, walking speed, body sway, Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) were assessed before and after 3 months of intervention. CS-30 performance improved during the study. CS-30 reflects lower limb/trunk muscle strength and can be used to indicate the risk of falls. Wearing ankle weights can be recommended for strengthening the muscles of the lower limb and trunk in the elderly.

Patient-centered Outcomes Research in Interstitial Lung Disease: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement

Background: In the past two decades, many advances have been made to our understanding of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and the way we approach its treatment. Despite this, many questions remain unanswered, particularly those related to how the disease and its therapies impact outcomes that are most important to patients. There is currently a lack of guidance on how to best define and incorporate these patient-centered outcomes in ILD research. Objectives: To summarize the current state of patient-centered outcomes research in ILD, identify gaps in knowledge and research, and highlight opportunities and methods for future patient-centered research agendas in ILD. Methods: An international interdisciplinary group of experts was assembled. The group identified top patient-centered outcomes in ILD, reviewed available literature for each outcome, highlighted important discoveries and knowledge gaps, and formulated research recommendations. Results: The committee identified seven themes around patient-centered outcomes as the focus of the statement. After a review of the literature and expert committee discussion, we developed 28 research recommendations. Conclusions: Patient-centered outcomes are key to ascertaining whether and how ILD and interventions used to treat it affect the way patients feel and function in their daily lives. Ample opportunities exist to conduct additional work dedicated to elevating and incorporating patient-centered outcomes in ILD research.

Is functional fitness performance a useful predictor of risk of falls among community-dwelling older adults?

Background

Falls among older adults are a serious public health problem. Many studies indicate that positive functional fitness performance decreases the risk of falls. A limited amount of previous study has investigated the association between broad functional fitness and the fall risk. This study examines the associations between functional fitness and the risk of falling among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

Three waves of cross-sectional data were collected from 2017 to 2019 in Taipei City, Taiwan. Six hundred sixty-five participants aged ≥65 years were randomly recruited from 12 districts of Taipei. Eight functional fitness tests (i.e., back scratch, chair-sit and-reach, 8-ft up-and-go, 30-s sit-to-stand, 30-s arm curl, 30-s single-leg stance, 2-min step, and hand grip strength tests) were performed to record the physical performance of older subjects. A Chinese version of the fall-risk questionnaire (FRQ) was used to calculate the fall risk scores. Linear regression and logistic regression were utilized to estimate the relationships of each functional fitness and fall risk.

Result

The results showed that 37.45% of older adults had a high risk of falling. It was found for each functional fitness that performance was linearly associated with the risk of falling. Moreover, older adults with low-performance levels in all functional fitness except back-scratching were more likely to have a higher risk of falling.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that functional fitness performance appears to provide valid predictive guidance for reducing the risk of falling among the older population.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-021-00608-1.

Home-based or remote exercise testing in chronic respiratory disease, during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: A rapid review

Objectives:

To identify exercise tests that are suitable for home-based or remote administration in people with chronic lung disease.

Methods:

Rapid review of studies that reported home-based or remote administration of an exercise test in people with chronic lung disease, and studies reporting their clinimetric (measurement) properties.

Results:

84 studies were included. Tests used at home were the 6-minute walk test (6MWT, two studies), sit-to-stand tests (STS, five studies), Timed Up and Go (TUG, 4 studies) and step tests (two studies). Exercise tests administered remotely were the 6MWT (two studies) and step test (one study). Compared to centre-based testing the 6MWT distance was similar when performed outdoors but shorter when performed at home (two studies). The STS, TUG and step tests were feasible, reliable (intra-class correlation coefficients >0.80), valid (concurrent and known groups validity) and moderately responsive to pulmonary rehabilitation (medium effect sizes). These tests elicited less desaturation than the 6MWT, and validated methods to prescribe exercise were not reported.

Discussion:

The STS, step and TUG tests can be performed at home, but do not accurately document desaturation with walking or allow exercise prescription. Patients at risk of desaturation should be prioritised for centre-based exercise testing when this is available.