• Margarita Pondal and Teodoro del Ser.
• Section of Neurology, Hospital Servero Ochoa, Avda Orellana s/n leganes, 28911 Madrid. mpondals@yahoo.es
• J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2008 Jan 1; 31 (2): 57-63.

ObjectiveTo define the standard performance of elderly people without gait disturbances in the "Timed Up and Go" test (TUG) and investigate its determinants.MethodsA population-based sample of 527 community-dwelling subjects, 71 to 99 years of age, was studied using a clinical, neurological, and cognitive standardized protocol which included the TUG (time to get up, walk 3 meters, go back and sit down again).ResultsSixty one subjects were unable to perform the TUG and 158 were excluded because of abnormal gait. 308 subjects without gait disturbances performed the TUG (mean age 77.5 +/- 5.2 years); males 171, (55%) in 10.2 +/- 3.1 seconds (range 5-25). The TUG time was higher in females (11.2 +/- 3.2 seconds; males: 9.3 +/- 2.8), was positively correlated with age (r = 0.25, p < 0.001). Mean TUG times by age group were: 71-75 years: 9.5 +/- 2.5 sec.; 76-80 years: 9.9 +/- 3 sec.; 81-85 years: 11.2 +/- 3.6 sec; and 86-99 years: 12 +/- 3.8 seconds). TUG times were also related to cognitive impairment (Global Deterioration Scale, r = 0.27, p < 0.001), weight (r = -0.18, p < 0.001), height (r = -0.29, p <0.001), head circumference (r = -0.24, p < 0.001) and nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment, r = -0.31, p < 0.001). A regression model explaining 25.8% of TUG variance included age, gender, weight, nutritional status and cognitive impairment as independent determinants of TUG scores.ConclusionsThe TUG performance of elderly people over 70 without apparent gait disturbances depends on age and other non motor variables such as female gender, weight, nutritional status and cognitive impairment.

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