Declines in Activities in Daily Living of Older Adults with Sarcopenia Were Associated with Gait Speed

TL;DR

Slower walking speed in older adults with sarcopenia is linked to reduced ability to perform daily activities, suggesting gait speed assessments could help identify those needing support.

Contribution

This study identifies a specific gait speed threshold (0.76 m/s) that predicts ADL independence in sarcopenic older adults.

Findings

Gait speed was significantly correlated with Barthel Index scores in both men and women with sarcopenia.

Multivariate analysis confirmed a strong independent association between gait speed and ADL performance.

A gait speed threshold of 0.76 m/s effectively distinguished ADL independence with 72.7% sensitivity and 74.0% specificity.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Early assessment interventions are recommended for older adults with sarcopenia. Gait speed in older adults considerably decreases activities of daily living (ADL). However, the association between ADL and gait speed in older adults with sarcopenia has not yet been fully elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the association between walking speed and ADL in older adults with sarcopenia. Materials and Methods: A total of 72 older adults with sarcopenia who required support or care under Japan’s long-term care insurance system were included. Correlation and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the association between walking speed and ADL performance. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the discrimination power of gait speed for ADL independence. Results: Gait speed was significantly and positively correlated with the Barthel Index scores for the men and women. ADL were independently and significantly associated with walking speed in the multivariate analysis. The threshold for gait speed that distinguished ADL independence in older adults with sarcopenia was 0.76 m/s (area under the curve = 0.75, sensitivity 72.7%, specificity 74.0%). Conclusions: Decreased gait speed in older adults with sarcopenia was associated with decreased ADL. Gait speed had high discriminatory power in identifying ADL independence. This indicates that an assessment intervention for gait speed in older adults with sarcopenia may have high clinical utility.

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