Validity and Responsiveness of the Glittre-ADL Test without a Backpack in People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Evaluating performance on the Glittre-ADL test in men with long COVID 3 years after a SARS-CoV-2 infection

Background/objective

Many COVID-19 survivors, especially those who have been hospitalized, have been suffering numerous complications that limit their activities of daily living, although changes that persist 3 years after infection are still not known. We aimed to investigate the impact of long COVID on the Glittre-ADL test (TGlittre) 3 years after acute infection in men who needed hospitalization and explore whether the performance on the TGlittre is associated with impairments in lung function, muscle strength, physical function and quality of life (QoL).

Methods

Cross-sectional study with 42 men with long COVID who took the TGlittre. They underwent pulmonary function tests and measurements of handgrip strength and quadriceps strength (QS). Additionally, they also completed the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM).

Results

The mean age was 52 ± 10.6 years, while the mean time after diagnosis of COVID-19 was 37 ± 3.5 months. The mean TGlittre time was 3.3 (3.1-4.1) min, which was 10% greater than the time expected for normal individuals to complete it. The TGlittre time was correlated significantly with the QS (rs = -0.397, p = 0.009), pulmonary diffusion (rs = - 0.364, p = 0.017), FIM (rs = -0.364, p = 0.017) and the "activity" domain score of the SGRQ (rs = 0.327, p = 0.034).

Conclusion

Functional capacity on exertion as measured by the TGlittre time is normal in most men with long COVID 3 years after hospitalization. However, this improvement in functional capacity does not seem to be reflected in muscle strength or QoL, requiring continued monitoring even after 3 years.

Glittre-ADL test without backpack: A qualitative study of perceptions of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

The Glittre Activities of Daily Living (Glittre-ADL) test without backpack was recently validated to assess the functional capacity of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) OBJECTIVE: To understand the perceptions of people with COPD about the Glittre-ADL test with and without backpack and the possible similarities with their activities of daily living (ADLs).

METHODS

Participants performed 2 Glittre-ADL tests with a backpack (visit 1). On visit 2, participants randomly performed the Glittre-ADL test with and without backpack and completed a semi-structured interview with questions about the tests. Interviews were analyzed according to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Twelve participants aged between 57 and 76 years with mild to severe COPD were included. Interviews were grouped into four thematic categories: (1) Glittre-ADL test with a backpack: does the backpack make the test worse, or does it not matter?; (2) test tasks and ADL: what is in common between them?; (3) "I enjoyed taking the test": the possibility of learning and new expectations; and (4) symptoms during the Glittre-ADL tests.

CONCLUSION

The following perceptions while performing the Glittre-ADL test with and without the backpack were observed: dyspnea and fatigue sensation, difficulty using the backpack while performing tasks such as squatting, and similarities to ADLs tasks despite different perspectives regarding the degree of ease and expectations on how to perform test tasks at home.

Glittre endurance test: A new test to assess the functional capacity of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

For people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the ability to perform functional activities for a prolonged duration is important for completion of daily tasks. While the Glittre-ADL test measures time taken to complete a series of functional activities, there is no test of endurance capacity for common daily activities.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Is the Glittre Endurance test a valid and responsive test to measure endurance capacity for functional daily tasks in people with COPD?

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. Fifty-seven participants with COPD (mean ± SD age:69 ± 7 years; FEV₁:48 ± 18%predicted) were recruited. All participants performed the Glittre-ADL test without a backpack (Glittre-ADL-noBP). Nine participants (Group A) performed a Glittre Endurance test at 90% of the speed to complete one lap of the Glittre-ADL-noBP. 48 participants (Group B) performed two Glittre Endurance tests at 100% of Glittre-ADL-noBP speed. The time to voluntary cessation or not keeping up with target pace was the test outcome.

RESULTS

Mean ± SD of the Glittre Endurance test was 12.11 ± 6.43 min and 6.90 ± 4.40 min for the test at 90% and 100% speeds, respectively. When the 100% Glittre Endurance test 2 was compared to test 1, there was a 14% increase in test time, indicating a learning effect (p = 0.005). Following pulmonary rehabilitation (n = 20) the Glittre Endurance test increased by 3.12 min (29%), and the Glittre-ADL-noBP reduced by 0.33 min (10%).

CONCLUSION

The Glittre Endurance test performed at 100% of the Glittre-ADL-noBP speed provided an appropriate endurance test time, and was more sensitive to change following pulmonary rehabilitation than the Glittre-ADL-noBP.