Quantitative assessment of locomotive syndrome by the loco-check questionnaire in older Japanese females

Validity and reliability of the loco-check questionnaire after cross-cultural adaptation for Indonesia

BACKGROUND

A large number of the elderly in Indonesia are affected by an increasing number of disabilities, with reduced mobility being one of the causes. Locomotive syndrome may cause decreased mobility, and its progression can impair the activities of daily living. Early screening is essential to halt its progression. The loco-check, a screening tool for locomotive syndrome, is available in English. A cross-cultural adaptation of this tool for an Indonesian version is important to maintain the validity of the questionnaire for its implementation in Indonesia. The aim of this study was to obtain a valid Indonesian version of the loco-check questionnaire that has been adapted as per Indonesian language and cultural conventions (through a cross-cultural adaptation process).

METHODS

The subjects in the study were community-dwelling geriatrics over 65 years of age who were recruited using consecutive non-probability judgment sampling according to the inclusion criteria. This study, conducted from February to October 2019, was divided into two stages consisting of: (1) language and cultural adaptation; (2) validity and reliability testing. The seven items on the loco-check were translated using forward-backward translation. The final questionnaire was generated through an expert panel discussion. The validity and reliability were evaluated using concurrent validity and Cronbach's alpha using SPSS Version 23.0.

RESULTS

In the first stage, the first and second trials showed a strong correlation between the English and Indonesian versions of the questionnaire with r = 0.997 (p < 0.001) and r = 0.825 (p = 0.003), respectively. The final Indonesian version of the loco-check had a good validity and reliability with r = 0.981 (p < 0.001) and Cronbach's alpha of 0.768, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The Indonesian cross-cultural adaptation of the loco-check questionnaire is a valid and reliable general questionnaire that could enable screening for locomotive syndrome in Indonesia.

Development of a tool for screening the severity of locomotive syndrome by the loco-check

BACKGROUND

The loco-check has been widely used to raise awareness of locomotive syndrome (LS) not only in the general population but also among medical practitioners. However, a screening tool of the loco-check for LS-1, LS-2, and LS-3 has not yet been established. The present study developed a screening tool for use with the loco-check to detect LS-1, LS-2, and LS-3.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 1659 community-dwelling older adults (730 males, 929 females) with a mean age of 73.8 ± 6.0 years old (range, 65-96 years old) was conducted, based on the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD). All subjects underwent the loco-check as an index test and the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25) as a reference standard at the same time. Subjects with a GLFS-25 total score of ≤6 points, 7-15 points, 16-23 points, and ≥24 points were diagnosed with non-LS, LS-1, LS-2, and LS-3, respectively. A conventional receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was used to confirm the optimal cut-off values of the loco-check score and their sensitivity and specificity to identify LS-1, LS-2, and LS-3, with a preference for a slightly higher sensitivity as the tool is intended primarily for screening purposes.

RESULTS

The optimal cut-off values of the loco-check score to discriminate LS-1, LS-2, and LS-3 as a screening tool were 1 point (sensitivity 85.4% and specificity 64.9%), 2 points (sensitivity 88.8% and specificity 75.1%), and 3 points (sensitivity 87.6% and specificity 84.6%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings may help both the general population and medical practitioners become roughly aware of and estimate the severity of LS, which will contribute to its use in community health activities and the dissemination of the concept of LS.

Surgery Can Improve Locomotive Syndrome Due to Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis and Loco-Check Can Predict Best Timing of Surgery to Avoid Progress of Locomotive Syndrome

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of locomotive syndrome

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected people in various ways, including restricting their mobility and depriving them of exercise opportunities. Such circumstances can trigger locomotor deterioration and impairment, which is known as locomotive syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of locomotive syndrome in the pandemic and to identify its risk factors. Methods: This was a multicenter questionnaire survey performed between 1 November 2020 and 31 December 2020 in Japan. Patients who visited the orthopedics clinic were asked to answer a questionnaire about their symptoms, exercise habits, and locomotor function at two time points, namely, pre-pandemic and post-second wave (current). The incidence of locomotive syndrome in the COVID-19 pandemic was investigated. Additionally, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for developing locomotive syndrome during the pandemic. Results: A total of 2829 patients were enrolled in this study (average age: 61.1 ± 17.1 years; 1532 women). The prevalence of locomotive syndrome was 30% pre-pandemic, which increased significantly to 50% intra-pandemic. Among the patients with no symptoms of locomotive syndrome, 30% developed it in the wake of the pandemic. In the multinomial logistic regression analysis, older age, deteriorated or newly occurring symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, complaints about the spine or hip/knee joints, and no or decreased exercise habits were independent risk factors for developing locomotive syndrome. Conclusions: The prevalence of locomotive syndrome in patients with musculoskeletal disorders has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to age, locomotor symptoms, especially spine or hip/knee joint complaints, and exercise habits were associated with the development of locomotive syndrome. Although the control of infection is a priority, the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and ensuring exercise habits are also essential issues to address during a pandemic such as COVID-19.

Reductions in the Frequency of Going Out Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Negatively Affect Patients with Spinal Disorders

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly changed the lifestyles of individuals due to the need to prevent disease spread. Globally, governments have enforced various policies, including travel bans, quarantine, home confinement, and lockdowns, as safety measures. Consequently, the frequency of individuals going out has decreased. This survey aimed to assess how decreasing the frequency of going out due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacts patients with spinal disorders.

Methods

This multicenter cross-sectional questionnaire survey included patients who visited four private spine clinics for any symptoms. Participants completed questionnaires pre- and post-pandemic that assessed the following topics: frequency of leaving home, exercise habits, locomotive syndrome, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Patients were divided into decreased and non-decreased frequency of going out groups, according to observed changes in their frequencies of leaving home. Both groups were statistically compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with the frequency of going out.

Results

Among 855 patients, 160 (18.7%; the decreased group) reported that they went out less frequently, and 695 (81.3%; the non-decreased group) reported that they left home equally frequently post- versus pre-pandemic. Multivariate analyses showed that exercise habits significantly decreased (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.67, p = 0.004), the incidence of locomotive syndrome significantly increased (aOR = 2.86, p = 0.012), and HRQOL significantly deteriorated (aOR = 4.14, p < 0.001) in the decreased group compared to the non-decreased group.

Conclusions

Restrictions regarding leaving home due to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly decreased exercise frequency, increased the occurrence of locomotive syndrome, and were associated with deterioration of HRQOL in patients with spine disorders. It may be beneficial for spine surgeons to encourage patients with spinal disorders to leave home at a frequency similar to what they did pre-pandemic while avoiding crowded areas, despite the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Can the loco-check be used as a self-check tool for evaluating fall risk among older subjects? A prospective study

BACKGROUND

Japan has now become a super-aged society. Notably, as the Japanese society ages, the prevalence of falls, which represent an aging-related problem, has increased. Locomotive syndrome (LS) is a condition of decreased mobility due to locomotive organ disorder. The loco-check is simple tool to detect early-stage LS. The loco-check comprises seven items relating to daily activities. Higher numbers of affirmative answers in the loco-check are negatively associated with physical functions. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential correlation between the number of affirmative answers given on the "loco-check" survey and the likelihood of experiencing at least one fall during the following one-year period.

METHODS

This prospective study included 154 cases (35 men, 119 women), all aged 65 years or older, answered the loco-check at baseline. As part of their normal treatment process, the participants made monthly visits to the out-patient department; thus, at each of these visits for the following 12 months a medical doctor interviewed each patient to determine whether they had experienced a fall during the previous month.

RESULTS

The mean age of the sample was 77.3 years, and the median number of affirmative answers given was 2.0. The number of affirmative answers significantly correlated with the cases which had a fall event within the follow-up period. Specifically, an increase in one "yes" answer on the loco-check increased the relative risk of fall (odds ratio: 1.32; 95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.70). In addition, the risk of fall was high in cases which showed the number of affirmative answers given on the loco-check ≥4 (odds ratio: 9.26; 95% CI: 1.05-81.7).

CONCLUSION

The number of affirmative answers given on the loco-check is positively correlated with a fall event within the following year.

Teeth loss and its association with locomotive syndrome among patients visiting the outpatient department of a dental school in Mahbubnagar, India-A cross sectional study

Background:

Locomotive syndrome (LoS) is condition wherein mobility functions such as sit-to-stand or gait are declined due to locomotive organ impairment. The important risk factors for the LoS are ageing and physical factors. Physical factors are significantly associated with dental status.

Aim:

To investigate the relationships between teeth lost and locomotive syndrome.

Materials and method:

A cross sectional study was conducted among (45-90 years) individuals by using Loco Check List. Factors related to demographics (age, sex) and number of teeth lost were assessed. Pearson’s chi-square test, multiple logistic regression analysis were performed. p <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results:

Out of 322 subjects, majority of subjects (58.7%) had LoS. Locomotive syndrome was observed high significantly (78.0% P = 0.0000) among >60 years age group. Majority of the subjects with tooth loss more than 10 teeth (92.6%) had a locomotive syndrome followed by the subjects with tooth loss 1-10 teeth (52.1%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed Locomotive syndrome was significantly (P= 0.000) higher among older age groups (>60 years) when compared with the 45- 60 years age group (or = 0.732) and subject with more than 10 teeth lost when compared with others (or = .009, or = 0.105)

Conclusion:

Study indicates that older age and number of teeth lost affect the prevalence of locomotive syndrome. Hence, maintaining oral health is necessary to retain more number of teeth throughout life which reduces the risk of locomotive syndrome. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Factors predicting discharge after two years for inpatients in the psychiatric long-term care wards who can walk independently

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affected the discharge of walkable patients admitted to psychiatric long-term care wards. [Participants and Methods] The participants were walkable patients admitted to psychiatric long-term care wards at three different hospitals in Japan. The baseline assessments of all 73 patients were conducted between September and December 2018. During the 2 year follow-up period, five patients died, while 68 were included in the analysis. The baseline assessment includes the basic information of the participants and the risk of locomotive syndrome. [Results] In the comparisons between the discharged (n=12) and hospitalizing groups (n=56), the age, length of stay, and two-step and stand-up test scores at the baseline assessment were significantly different. The multiple logistic regression analysis, which discriminates between the two groups, adopted age as a significant variable in the baseline assessment as a predictor of dischargeability (odds ratio: 1.08; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.16). [Conclusion] Age was considered to be a discharge likelihood predictor, as it affects the decline in motor function, such as locomotive syndrome, as well as the social resources that would be needed after discharge, such as family support.

Visceral fat area is the measure of obesity best associated with mobility disability in community dwelling oldest-old Chinese adults

Background

Although obesity can be clinically defined by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, percent body fat, or visceral fat area, it is unclear which specific measure is best associated with mobility disability in oldest-old adults.

Methods

Among 589 Chinese participants aged 85 years and older in a population-based cohort in Singapore, we measured waist circumference, computed BMI, estimated appendicular skeletal muscle mass, percent body fat, and visceral fat area using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and evaluated mobility disability using the Loco-Check questionnaire. We computed areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC_ROC) to compare how well these measures discriminated between those with and without mobility disability. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations between obesity defined by these measures and mobility disability.

Results

Compared to BMI, which had an AUC_ROC (95% CI) of 0.68 (0.64–0.72) for the discrimination of mobility disability, only visceral fat area had a significantly higher discriminative performance [AUC_ROC (95% CI) of 0.71 (0.67–0.75) (P_adjusted = 0.002)]. The optimal cut-offs of visceral fat area for the discrimination of mobility disability were ≥ 104 cm² in men and ≥ 137 cm² in women. In fully adjusted models, only obesity defined by visceral fat area was significantly associated with mobility disability [OR (95% CI) of 2.04 (1.10–3.77)]; obesity defined by the other measures were not associated with mobility disability after adjusting for visceral fat.

Conclusion

In oldest-old adults, visceral fat area was the best discriminator for obesity associated with mobility disability.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02226-6.

Relationship between whether the planned discharge destination is decided and locomotive syndrome for admitted patients in psychiatric long-term care wards

OBJECTIVE

We focused on locomotive syndrome as a low physical function factor that may prevent patients with psychiatric disease from being discharged. The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors, including locomotive syndrome, that prevent discharge from psychiatric long-term care wards.

METHOD

We enrolled 74 patients who were admitted to psychiatric long-term care wards at three different hospitals in Japan. Nurses or medical social workers in the ward were asked whether the planned discharge destination had been decided, and patients were categorized into a decided group and an undecided group. Outcome measures were age, sex, F code in the ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders, length of stay, chlorpromazine equivalent dose of antipsychotics, locomotive syndrome test scores (25-question GLFS, two-step test, stand-up test), and Barthel Index.

RESULTS

Based on the multivariate logistic regression analysis results, the length of stay and the two-step test score significantly explained the difference between the two groups. The odds ratio of a length of stay greater than 10 years was 8.42 times that of a length of stay less than 2 years (P=0.012, 95% CI=1.59, 44.53). Regarding the twostep test, the odds ratio for obtaining stage 2 was 10.62 times that for obtaining stage 0 (P=0.013, 95% CI=1.65, 68.23).

CONCLUSION

Those who with longer length of stays and lower two-step test scores tended not to be decided the planned discharge destination.

Locomotive Syndrome Is Associated with Health-Related Quality of Life and Low Back Pain in the Elderly, Including Individuals More Than 80 Years Old

Objectives:

The extent to which locomotive syndrome is associated with low back pain (LBP), health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and impairment of activities of daily living among elderly men and women remains poorly documented. This study evaluated associations between locomotive syndrome and both HRQOL and LBP as assessed using a questionnaire completed by elderly individuals, including some >80 years old.

Methods:

We conducted a survey assessing locomotive syndrome using the loco-check, HRQOL using the Short-Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36), and LBP using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) among individuals >60 years old. SF-36 and RDQ scores were compared between 253 subjects with and without locomotive syndrome.

Results:

Fifty-seven men (48%) and 71 women (53%) were diagnosed with locomotive syndrome. Subjects of both sexes with locomotive syndrome scored significantly lower for eight items from SF-36. Physical and mental component summary scores were significantly worse in women with locomotive syndrome in their 60s and 70s. RDQ scores were significantly higher in participants with locomotive syndrome for men in their 60s and for both men and women in their 70s.

Conclusions:

Locomotive syndrome was associated with impaired HRQOL and worse LBP among men and women >60 years old. Differences in HRQOL and LBP between subjects with and without locomotive syndrome were significant for both men and women in their 60s and 70s, but not in their 80s. Locomotive syndrome should be prevented to maintain HRQOL, particularly for men and women in their 60s and 70s.

Loco-check presents a useful tool to determine health-related quality of life in elderly people with lumbar spinal stenosis

BACKGROUND

Locomotive syndrome (LS) is a condition of decreased mobility caused by disorders of the locomotive organs. Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is an LS disorder. The loco-check is a simple questionnaire comprising seven questions that can detect LS. The differences between the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of elderly persons without LSS and those with LSS remain unclear. The primary aim of this study was to clarify these differences using the European quality of life (EuroQoL) scale. The secondary aim was to clarify the differences between the groups based on loco-check questionnaire responses.

METHODS

We recruited patients aged ≥65 years. Our age- and sex-matched case/control cohorts included 28 elderly patients with LSS and 28 without LSS. The study participants were evaluated by the number of "yes" answers on the loco-check, the HRQoL using EuroQoL-5 dimension (EQ-5D) utility values, and the EuroQoL-visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). We compared differences between patients with and without LSS regarding HRQoL using EQ-5D utility values, EQ-VAS scores, the number of "yes" answers on the loco-check, and details of the loco-check.

RESULTS

Patients with LSS had significantly lower EQ-5D utility values (p < 0.01) and more "yes" answers on the loco-check (p < 0.01) than those without LSS. There were no significant differences in EQ-VAS scores between groups (p = 0.09). There were statistically significant differences between groups in all questions except two: You often trip up or slip around the house and You can't make it across the road before the light turns red.

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly patients with LSS had lower EQ-5D utility values and more "yes" answers on the loco-check than elderly persons without LSS. Our results may clarify differentiating features of elderly patients with and without LSS.

Affirmative answers on loco-check as a predictor of health-related quality of life and locomotive syndrome progression in the elderly: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: To clarify the correlation between locomotive syndrome (LS) stages and the loco-check or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and whether the loco-check can predict HRQoL and LS stages.Methods: Overall, 298 subjects (106 men, 192 women) were evaluated for LS and HRQoL using EuroQoL-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) and the EuroQoL-visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). The correlation between LS stages and HRQoL using EQ-5D and EQ-5D-VAS scores and the number of affirmative answers on the loco-check were evaluated.Results: The numbers of non-LS, Stage 1 LS, and Stage 2 LS subjects were 143, 130, and 25, respectively. EQ-5D and EQ-5D-VAS scores decreased from non-LS to Stage 2 LS. EQ-5D and EQ-5D-VAS scores in LS Stage 2 subjects were significantly lower. The number of affirmative answers on the loco-check increased from non-LS to Stage 2. Two affirmative answers on the loco-check was the cut-off to detect Stage 2 LS. The number of affirmative answers on the loco-check was significantly negatively correlated with HRQoL in elderly subjects.Conclusion: The number of affirmative answers on the loco-check positively correlated with LS stages and negatively correlated with HRQoL. The loco-check might help to predict LS stage and HRQoL, especially in elderly people aged over 65 years.