Prevalence and factors influencing slow gait speed among geriatric patients at outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital.

Background: Slow gait speed (GS) is a marker of functional decline and overall poor health status and could be considered as possible sarcopenia. Early detection with modified treatable causes is likely to lessen adverse health outcomes in older adults.

Aims: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of slow GS and related factors of older adults in an outpatient setting of a tertiary care hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of older adults at an outpatient clinic of Internal Medicine Department of a tertiary care hospital was conducted during April 2020 and December 2021. Demographic data were collected including Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for cognitive assessment and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality assessment. A 4-m walk test < 1 m/s was defined as slow GS.

Results: A total of 198 participants were available for analysis. The prevalence of slow GS was 75.8% (66.2% in men and 81.5% in women). The multivariate analysis showed that age, the presence of cerebrovascular disease (CVA), and MoCA scores were associated with slow GS with adjusted odds ratios of 1.1, 8.8, and 0.9, respectively.

Conclusions: Slow gait speed was frequent among older patients in an outpatient setting indicating of a high prevalence of patients with poor physical performance and impending frailty. Increasing age, presence of CVA, and cognitive decline were associated with slow GS. Interventions concentrating on the amendable factors might help to reduce unfavorable health consequences.