Abstract

Background: Little is known regarding the cut-off value of the short physical performance battery in assessing independence or dependence in carrying out activities of daily living in older adults requiring care. Clarifying the cut-off value for short physical performance battery could be a useful screening test for the detection of participants in whom the ability to carry out activities of daily living may decline.
Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, we recruited 37 participants aged 60 years or older requiring care using long-term care insurance in Japan [12 men, 25 women, average age (standard deviation): 84.0 (7.3) years]. Short physical performance battery and barthel index as the ability to carry out activities of daily living were measured. The relationship between barthel index (Group 1: ≥85 and Group 2: <85) and short physical performance battery was evaluated using multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors. Moreover, a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to define the cut-off value for the division into 2 groups [Group 1 (barthel index ≥85) and Group 2 (barthel index <85)].
Results: Barthel index was independently explained by the short physical performance battery score (Odds ratio; 2.35, 95% confidence interval; 1.25-6.72, p <0.05). The cut-off value for the short physical performance battery score in barthel index was 4 (sensitivity 0.80, specificity 0.81, and the area under the curve 0.88).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that the cut-off value of the short physical performance battery with respect to the ability to carry out activities of daily living could be useful in assessing participants requiring care who will need to be even more assisted in a daily basis.