The Timed Up and Go test and the ageing heart: Findings from a national health screening of 1,084,875 community-dwelling older adults

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between Timed Up and Go test performance and the incidence of older adult heart diseases and mortality.

This was a retrospective cohort study of 1,084,875 older adults who participated in a national health screening program between 2009–2014 (all aged 66 years old). Participants free of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and atrial fibrillation at baseline were included and were divided into Group 1 (<10 s), Group 2 (10−20 s) and Group 3 (≥20 s) using the Timed Up and Go test scores. The endpoints were incident myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and all-cause mortality.

During mean follow-up of 3.6 years (maximum 8.0 years), 8885 myocardial infarctions, 10,617 congestive heart failures, 15,322 atrial fibrillations, and 22,189 deaths occurred. Compared with participants in Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 participants had higher incidences of myocardial infarction (Group 3: adjusted hazard ratio = 1.40, 95% confidence interval = 1.11–1.77), congestive heart failure (Group 3: adjusted hazard ratio = 1.59, 95% confidence interval = 1.31–1.94) and total mortality (Group 3: adjusted hazard ratio=1.93, 95% confidence interval = 1.69–2.20). The additional risks remained after adjusting for multiple conventional risk factors. For atrial fibrillation, a linear trend of increased risk was observed with slower Timed Up and Go test speed, but was statistically marginal (Group 3: adjusted hazard ratio=1.17, 95% confidence interval=0.96–1.44).

Slower Timed Up and Go test speed is associated with increased risk of developing myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and mortality in older adults.