The Short Physical Performance Battery in Some Korean Rural Community

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a characteristics of short physical performance battery (SPPB) in some Korean rural community and to obtain a preliminary data of SPPB in Korea. METHOD: A total of 488 persons aged 22 to 82 with no disability, interviewed and administered a SPPB and a balance test using Mediance(R). Subjects were divided into 3 groups with high (less than 6 points), medium (7 to 9 points) and low (10 to 12 points) risk groups according to SPPB score. Lower extremity performance was measured using SPPB including assessment of standing balance, a timed 4-m walk, and timed test of rising 5 times from a chair. Chronic condition were ascertained as self-report of past disease history. The relationship between general characteristics of subjects, self-report of past history of disease, limb load asymmetry, postural sway and SPPB score were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: In a multivariate analysis, older age, lower educational background and high body fat mass were associated independently with poor performance. In a multivariateanalysis of subjects aged 60 or older, older age, lower educational background and history of hypertension were associated independently with poor performance. CONCLUSION: These findings should be considered in planning specially tailored intervention for disability prevention in this subgroups. And this study provides the preliminary evidence that a SPPB is a useful tool in evaluating Korean elderly who are not disabled but have poor lower extremity performance.

The Short Physical Performance Battery in Stroke Patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship and difference of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) between normal population and stroke patients, and to examine the relationship of the SPPB that used to assess lower extremity function in old, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Modified Barthel Index (MBI) in stroke patients. METHOD: One hundred and fifty nine stroke patients and 159 sex, age-matched normal population were included. All subjects were enrolled to interview and administer the SPPB and FIM, MBI. The SPPB included assessment of standing balance, a walking speed (timed 4 m walk), and chair stand (timed test of rising 5 times from a chair). RESULTS: The stroke patients showed significantly lower SPPB score than control group. The age, sex, direction of affection, and duration of stroke did not influence SPPB score respectively. In comparison of FIM and MBI, SPPB was significantly correlated with FIM and MBI, especially motor subtotal score of FIM. CONCLUSION: SPPB may be useful tool to assess and predict the physical function in stroke patients.