Computer-adaptive balance testing improves discrimination between community-dwelling elderly fallers and nonfallers

Effectiveness of the aquatic physical therapy exercises to improve balance, gait, quality of life and reduce fall-related outcomes in healthy community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Opting to use aquatic or land-based physical therapy exercises to improve balance, gait, quality of life and reduce fall-related outcomes in community-dwelling older adults (CDOAs) is still a questionable clinical decision for physiotherapists.

OBJECTIVE

Assess the quality of evidence from randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that used aquatic physical therapy exercises to improve balance, gait, quality of life and reduce fall-related outcomes in CDOAs.

METHODS

Articles were surveyed in the following databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, LILACS, Web of Science, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), PEDro, CINAHL, SciELO and Google Scholar, published in any language, up to July 31, 2023. Two independent reviewers extracted the data and assessed evidence quality. The risk of bias of the trials was evaluated by the Cochrane tool and evidence quality by GRADE approach. Review Manager software was used to conduct the meta-analyses.

RESULTS

3007 articles were identified in the searches, remaining 33 studies to be read in full, with 11 trials being eligible for this systematic review. The trials included presented low evidence quality for the balance, gait, quality of life and fear of falling. Land-based and aquatic physical therapy exercises improved the outcomes analyzed; however, aquatic physical therapy exercises were more effective in improving balance, gait, quality of life and reducing fear of falling in CDOAs. The meta-analysis showed that engaging in aquatic physical therapy exercises increases the functional reach, through of the anterior displacement of the center of pressure of CDOAs by 6.36cm, compared to land-based physical therapy exercises, assessed by the Functional Reach test: [CI:5.22 to 7.50], (p<0.00001), presenting low quality evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Aquatic physical therapy exercises are more effective than their land-based counterparts in enhancing balance, gait, quality of life and reducing the fear of falling in CDOAs. However, due to methodological limitations of the trials, this clinical decision remains inconclusive. It is suggested that new trials be conducted with greater methodological rigor, in order to provide high-quality evidence on the use of the aquatic physical therapy exercises to improve the outcomes analyzed in CDOAs.

Reliability and validity of the Tinetti performance oriented mobility assessment in Chinese community-dwelling older adults

OBJECTIVE

The Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) has been used for assessing mobility limitations and predicting falling risk among older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the POMA in Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

We used data from a cross-sectional study in which a sample of 627 older adults completed the POMA. Reliability was tested using internal consistencies and test-retest reliability analyses, while validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and known-group approach. Floor and ceiling effects were also tested.

RESULTS

The POMA and its two subscales had good internal consistency reliability and interrater reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the POMA had a two-factor structure. The POMA and its subscales exhibited moderate-to-good discriminant validity. A high ceiling effect was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

The POMA had satisfactory reliability and validity among Chinese older adults. Nevertheless, a high ceiling effect may limit its use in community settings.

A Mobility Measure for Inpatient Rehabilitation Using Multigroup, Multidimensional Methods

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) report patient functional status to Medicare and other payers using Quality Indicators (QI). While the QI is useful for payment purposes, its measurement properties are limited for monitoring patient progress. A mobility measure based on QI items and additional standardized assessments may enhance clinicians' ability to track patient improvement. Thus, we developed the Mobility Ability Quotient (Mobility AQ) to assess mobility during inpatient rehabilitation.

METHODS

For 10 036 IRF inpatients, we extracted assessments from electronic health records, used confirmatory factor analysis to define subdimensions of mobility, and then applied multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) methods to develop a unidimensional construct. Assessments included the QI items and standardized measures of mobility, motor performance, and wheelchair and transfer skills.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in good-fitting models (root-mean-square errors of approximation ≤0.08, comparative fit indices, and nonnormed fit indices ≥0.95) for 3 groups defined by anticipated primary mode of locomotion at discharge-walking, wheelchair propulsion, or both. Reestimation as a multigroup, MIRT model yielded scores more sensitive to change compared with QI mobility items (dlast-first = 1.08 vs 0.60 for the QI; dmax-min = 1.16 vs 1.05 for the QI). True score equating analysis demonstrated a higher ceiling and lower floor for the Mobility AQ than the QI.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The Mobility AQ demonstrates improved sensitivity over the QI mobility items. This MIRT-based mobility measure describes patient function and progress for patients served by IRFs and has the potential to reduce assessment burden and improve communication regarding patient functional status.Video Abstract available for more insights from authors (see the Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A341).

Center of pressure characteristics from quiet standing measures to predict the risk of falling in older adults: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Falling is the most common accident of daily living and the second most prevalent cause of accidental death in the world. The complex nature of risk factors associated with falling makes those at risk amongst the elderly population difficult to identify. Commonly used clinical tests have limitations when it comes to reliably detecting the risk of falling, but existing laboratory tests, such as force platform measurements, represent one method of overcoming this lack of a test. Despite their widespread use, however, Center of Pressure (COP) signal analysis techniques vary and there is currently no consensus on which features should be used diagnostically. Our objective is to identify, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, the COP characteristics of older adults (≥ 60 years old) during quiet bipedal stance which will allow fallers to be distinguished from non-fallers.

METHODS

The systematic review will include both prospective and retrospective articles. Five databases will be searched: PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, and ScienceDirect. In addition, a search of gray literature will be performed using Google Scholar and ClinicalTrials.gov. Searches will be circumscribed to include only older adults (aged over 60 years) who underwent a bipedal quiet standing measure of their balance and for whom the number of falls was reported. Two authors will independently assess the risk of bias for each included article using a 26-item checklist. Funnel plots will be drawn to attest of possible publication biases for each COP parameters. The results will be synthesized descriptively and a meta-analysis will be undertaken. When trial methodological heterogeneity is too great for pooling of the data into a meta-analysis, evidence strength will be evaluated using best evidence analysis.

DISCUSSION

Despite the numerous advantages of posturography, the diversity of studies exploring balance in older fallers has led to uncertainty regarding the method's ability to reliably identify fall-prone older adults. It is expected that the findings from this systematic review will help clinicians use bipedal quiet standing measures as a diagnostic test and allow researchers to explore COP characteristics to create better models for fall prevention care.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42018098671.

A content validity evaluation of the PEDI-CAT Speedy Mobility domain

Objective: To evaluate the content validity of the PEDI-CAT Speedy Mobility domain through analysis of item and content area exposure, score range and scoring precision.Methods: Retrospective analysis of 3,364 items from assessments (n = 301) completed from 2013 to 2017. Content validity was appraised through analysis of item and content area exposure (item, content area, response frequency), score range (floor and ceiling effect) and scoring precision (person fit, score reliability, item information function).Results: Sixty-five of the 75 general mobility items from the PEDI-CAT Mobility domain item bank were exposed. "Stands up from the middle of the floor" (68%) was the most frequently exposed non-mandatory item. Almost half (49%) of all items were from the Basic Mobility and Transfers content area. Scaled scores ranged from 26.77 to 69.40 with a floor (scores ≤27; n = 51, 17%) but no ceiling effect. Person fit statistics were acceptable for 238 (79%), suggesting limited outliers. Score reliability was sufficient with 68% of scores above threshold (>0.9). Item information function plot indicated less discriminating items at the lower end of the score range.Conclusion: Content is adequately and reliably measuring the intended construct, but additional items at the lower end of the scale could improve score precision.

Development of a Computerized Adaptive Testing System of the Functional Assessment of Stroke

OBJECTIVE

To develop a computerized adaptive testing system of the Functional Assessment of Stroke (CAT-FAS) to assess upper- and lower-extremity (UE/LE) motor function, postural control, and basic activities of daily living with optimal efficiency and without sacrificing psychometric properties in patients with stroke.

DESIGN

Simulation study.

SETTING

One rehabilitation unit in a medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with subacute stroke (N=301; mean age, 67.3±10.9; intracranial infarction, 74.5%).

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The UE and LE subscales of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients, and Barthel Index.

RESULTS

The CAT-FAS adopting the optimal stopping rule (limited reliability increase of <.010) had good Rasch reliability across the 4 domains (.88-.93) and needed few items for the whole administration (8.5 items on average). The concurrent validity (CAT-FAS vs original tests, Pearson r=.91-.95) and responsiveness (standardized response mean, .65-.76) of the CAT-FAS were good in patients with stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed the CAT-FAS, and our results support that the CAT-FAS has sufficient efficiency, reliability, concurrent validity, and responsiveness in patients with stroke. The CAT-FAS can be used to simultaneously assess patients' functions of UE, LE, postural control, and basic activities of daily living using, on average, no more than 10 items; this efficiency is useful in reducing the assessment burdens for both clinicians and patients.