Correlation between time to stand up five times from a chair and hip fragility score in elderly women assessed with radiofrequency echographic multispectrometry (REMS)

Introduction: Functional mobility and bone health are essential to the overall well-being of elderly women, as reduced mobility is frequently associated with increased frailty and lower bone density. The stand up five times from a chair (5XSST) test is a simple, reliable measure of functional mobility, while radiofrequency echographic multispectrometry (REMS) provides an advanced, non-invasive method to assess fragility score (FS), bone mineral density (BMD), and T-score of the hip. However, the relationship between performance on the 5XSST and hip fragility in older women has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to examine the correlation between the time to complete the 5XSST and hip FS in elderly women, assessed using REMS.

Methods: For the 5XSST test, 75 women were instructed to stand up and sit down five times as quickly as possible. The time taken to complete the task was recorded in seconds (s). Based on their performance, participants were categorized into two groups: 5XSST<12.9 s and 5XSST≥12.9 s. The FS, BMD and T-score of the hip of all participants were assessed using REMS. Before the REMS scan, information on age and body mass index (BMI) was collected. The data collection and transfer from the electronic health record was performed with an innovative JAVA tool, developed by Kirilov et al. (1,2)

Results: The mean age of participants was 72±5 yrs. (range: 65–89 yrs.). The mean BMI was 28.2±3.6 kg/m² (range: 16.8–36.5 kg/m²). The mean BMD was 0.643±0.125 g/cm² (range: 0.347–1.026 g/cm²) and the mean T-score was -1.9±1.1 SD (range: -4.5 SD to 1.2 SD). 54 of 75 women (72%) showed 5XSST<12.9 s and had mean FS=40.1±13.3. 21 of 75 women (28%) had 5XSST≥12.9 s and mean FS=58.1±18.8. FS differed significantly between the groups with 5XSST<12.9 s and 5XSST≥12.9 s (p<0.001).

Discussion: This study demonstrates a significant correlation between performance on the 5XSST test and hip FS in elderly women, as assessed by REMS. Women who took longer to complete the 5XSST had higher FS, indicating greater frailty. These findings suggest that functional mobility, as measured by the 5XSST, may serve as an effective indicator of bone fragility, providing valuable insights into the risk of fractures and related health issues in older women. Further research is needed to explore the potential of combining functional tests and advanced bone assessments to improve early identification and management of frailty in this population.

Keywords: time to stand up five times from a chair, fragility score, REMS

Korrespondenzadresse: Fabian Bischoff, IPSMP Rheumatology, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, Sveta Bogoroditsa 68, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, E-Mail: [e-mail]

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
21. März 2025

• Literature

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