Slow gait speed could be a signal for common geriatric syndromes besides sarcopenia

Background: In China geriatricians is inadequate for the growing elderly. We need more doctors to recognize geriatric syndromes with a simple examination, which could help more elderly have better care. Aims: Clarified that slow gait speed could be a signal to identify common geriatric syndromes besides sarcopenia in elderly outpatients. Methods: According to the gait speed cut-off (< 1.0m/s), we classified 985 elderly outpatients (457 men and 528 women) into two groups. The groups were defined as the normal speed group (NSG, gait speed ≥ 1.0m/s), and the slow speed group (SSG, gait speed < 1.0m/s). We used the CGA management system Simply Edition (CGA-SE) software to collect data and compared demographic variations and the prevalence of functional decline in the two groups. Results: Participants in SSG were significantly older, shorter in height, lighter in weight, used more drugs, and had a higher score in Edmonton, SDS, SAS, and MNA, and a lower score in BADL, and MMSE than in NSG. And they had significantly higher prevalence percentages in frailty, disability, depression, and dementia than in NSG. In addition, gait speed was an independent protective factor associated with frailty, disability, dementia, and swallowing dysfunction. And slow gait speed was an independent risk factor associated with frailty, depression, and dementia. Furthermore, participants with comorbidity, better function in daily life, and good cognition usually had faster gait speeds. However, participants with polypharmacy, low education, malnutrition risk, and frailty usually had slow gait speed(p < 0.05). Discuss Clinical physicians should give more attention to those with slow gait speed elderly outpatients, and be alert to their geriatric syndromes. Conclusions: Slow gait speed could be a signal for several common geriatric syndromes in elderly outpatients. We recommended 6 meters gait speed test as a routine examination for the elderly, not only in the geriatric department but also others serving the elderly.