Timed Up and Go Test: A Reliable and Valid Test in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

• Published in: Journal of cardiac failure Vol. 22; no. 8; pp. 646 - 650
• Main Authors: Hwang, Rita, MHSc(Cardiopulm Phty), BPhty(Hons), Morris, Norman R., PhD, BAppSc(Phty), DipEd, BSc, Mandrusiak, Allison, PhD, BPhty(Hons), GradCert(Higher Ed), Mudge, Alison, PhD, MBBS, Suna, Jessica, MHlthSci(Research), BNurs, BSc, GradCert(Clinical Trial Management), Adsett, Julie, BPhty(Hons), Russell, Trevor, PhD, BPhty(Hons)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2016
• Subjects: cardiac failure; Cardiovascular; Exercise test; Exercise Test - methods; Exercise Therapy - methods; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; functional capacity; Heart Failure - diagnosis; Heart Failure - physiopathology; Heart Failure - rehabilitation; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; outcome assessment; Reproducibility of Results; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Walking - physiology; outcome assessment; functional capacity; Exercise test; cardiac failure
• ISSN: 1071-9164; 1532-8414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2015.09.018

Abstract Background The timed up and go test (TUGT) is a short-duration functional test frequently used in rehabilitation settings as a measure of balance and mobility. Reliability and validity for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) has yet to be determined. This prospective cohort study aimed to determine test-retest reliability of the TUGT in patients with CHF, relationships between the TUGT and other variables, including functional tests, and predictors of the TUGT. Methods and Results This was a secondary analysis of data collected in a multicenter randomized controlled trial of exercise training in recently hospitalized patients with heart failure (EJECTION-HF). The TUGT was conducted twice at baseline to determine reliability. Assessments were compared with 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), 10-m walk test time, and other clinical variables. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine test-retest reliability and correlations for relationships with other variables. A multiple regression was used to identify predictors of the TUGT. In 278 participants (mean age 62 years), the TUGT demonstrated excellent within-day test-retest reliability (ICC 0.93). A shorter (better) TUGT time was associated with longer 6MWD ( r  = −0.81; P < .001) and shorter 10-m walk test time ( rs  = 0.80; P < .001). Best predictors of the TUGT were 6MWD and age, which accounted for 66% of the variance. Conclusions The TUGT appears to be a reliable and valid functional measurement in patients with CHF.