Propriedades de medição dos testes de desempenho físico funcional usados em pessoas idosas: uma revisão sistemática seguindo as diretrizes COSMIN

Abstract

Introduction: For the elderly, the assessment of functional physical performance has been a cornerstone of clinical evaluation, as functional capacity, guided by intrinsic capacity and the environment, is a cornerstone for successful aging. Intrinsic capacity affected by aging includes sensory, cognitive, and movement functions, and measures of intrinsic capacity within each of these functions are assessed through functional physical performance tests. However, there is a lack of thorough analysis of the measurement properties of these tests, such as validity and reliability. Objective: To critically evaluate the measurement properties of tests that assess the functional physical performance of the elderly, focusing on the lower limbs, namely: the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Chair Sit-to-Stand Test (CSST), Walking Speed Test (WST), and Lower Limb Power Test (LLPT), through a systematic view. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases were systematically searched to locate studies on the measurement properties (validity and reliability) of functional physical performance tests used in community-dwelling and institutionalized elderly people aged 60 and over. The COSMIN methodology for systematic reviews user manual was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: Eighteen studies were included, with eight studies corresponding to the TUG test, three studies to the CSST, nine studies to the WST, and four studies to the LLPT. Fifteen studies evaluated the reliability domain, 13 studies assessed measurement error, two studies assessed the construct validity hypothesis test, and eight studies evaluated criterion validity. The overall assessment of the quality of the measurement properties and evidence was quite variable and generally below ideal, with better results for reliability between tests. Conclusion: There is a clear need for greater attention to quality in the construction, adaptation, and validation processes of the measurement properties of functional physical performance tests used in the elderly. However, the certainty of evidence was assessed as moderate to low.