Age independency of mobility decrease assessed using the Locomotive Syndrome Risk Test in elderly with disability: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Mobility decrease is reportedly age-dependent in community dwelling elderly, and a major factor of disability in the geriatric population. The purpose of this study is to examine whether mobility decrease, as assessed using a set of tests, is similarly age-dependent in elderly adults who already have disability.

METHODS: One hundred thirty-five community-dwelling elderly (54 men, 81 women) with disability and 1469 independent community dwellers (1009 men, 460 women) were analyzed. Disability was defined having a certified need for care under the long-term care insurance system in Japan. Lower extremity mobility decrease was quantified using the Locomotive Syndrome Risk Test, which comprises the two-step test, stand-up test, and 25-Question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25).

RESULTS: Multivariable regression analyses indicated no age-related decrease in the three test scores among elderly with disability, whereas these scores all decreased with age among independent community dwellers. All the test scores decreased as care level increased.

CONCLUSIONS: Mobility decrease among elderly adults with disability is unrelated to age. However, the severity of care level is associated with mobility decrease.