Short physical performance battery discriminates clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients aged 75 years and over

Aim: Low physical function is associated with poor outcomes in hospitalized patients; however, little is known about vulnerable populations such as those aged >= 75 years. We examined whether the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was associated with clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients aged >= 75 years. Methods: In total, 147 patients aged >= 75 years (mean age, 86.5 +/- 4.7 years; 89 males) completed the SPPB and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) before hospital discharge. Patients were divided into three groups by SPPB score: 0 (unable to perform SPPB), 1-6 (low performance), and 7-12 (high performance). The first occurrence of all-cause unplanned readmission or all-cause mortality within 1 year after discharge was set as the endpoint. Results: The median SPPB score of the study population was 2; 41 % were unable to perform SPPB, 33 % had low performance, and 26 % had high performance. High SPPB was associated with younger age, higher body weight, and higher MMSE score. During the follow-up period, 35 (23.8 %) patients were readmitted to hospital and 19 (12.9 %) died. Even after adjusting for covariates, SPPB score was a significant and independent predictor of poor outcomes (hazard ratio for 1 point increase in SPPB, 0.88; P = .002). The subgroup analysis showed SPPB was inversely associated with the occurrence of poor outcomes in patients with cognitive impairment. Conclusions: SPPB is inversely associated with risks for readmission and mortality in hospitalized patients aged >= 75 years, especially those with cognitive impairment. The present results indicate the SPPB is useful for accurate prognosis in hospital settings.