Reference values for the Timed Up and Go test in healthy Japanese elderly people: Determination using the methodology of meta‐analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the reference value for the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) in healthy Japanese elderly people using the methodology of meta-analysis, and to determine the value for different measurement protocols. Relevant research articles were identified from electronic databases: MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Igaku-cyuouzasshi. The search was conducted from January 1991 to June 2010, and the terms "timed up and go" and "elderly" were used in combination in the search. Furthermore, the searches were limited to articles involving Japanese healthy elderly people aged 60years and older. Weighted means of TUG were calculated by a fixed effect model and a random effect model to estimate reference values. Furthermore, the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the weighted mean of TUG was also estimated. Twelve studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria: eight provided data for maximum effort, and five provided data related to usual pace. When weighted means of TUG were estimated by the fixed effect model, there was significant heterogeneity. Therefore, a random effect model was used for re-estimation. As a result, the weighted mean of TUG with maximum effort was 6.60s (95% CI=6.18-7.02s), and that at usual pace was 8.86s (95% CI=7.99-9.72s). The reference values of TUG in Japanese healthy elderly people calculated in this study are certainly shorter than in African-Americans and Caucasians. The reference values of TUG estimated by our study appear to be specific for healthy, elderly, Japanese people.