Evaluation of a Simple Clinical Test to Detect the Risk of Falling in Patients With BPCO and Research for Predictive Factors of Fall Risk.

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The risk of falling in increased in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. To date, a screening test (the Berg Balance scale, BBS) is used to evaluate this risk but it spends 20 to 30 minutes to complete. The aim of our study is to evaluate the sensitivity of a more straightforward test (Timed Up and Go, TUG)) to assess the fall risk. The TUG is routinely used in elderly to screen for frailty.

Detailed Description
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We will recruit COPD patients in stable condition (free of exacerbation of the disease for a month), 40 without chronic respiratory failure and 40 with home oxygen therapy. The patients will be proposed to perform the following tests and to fill in questionnaires: - Questionnaires: Elderly Falls Screening Test to quantify the falls in the last year, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale. Tests: Berg Balance Scale measuring balance in 14 different functional tasks (abnormal cut-off value <56) Timed Up and Go evaluating the time to rise from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn around, walk back to the chair and sit down (abnormal cut-off value >12 seconds). 6 minute walk test evaluating endurance to submaximal exercise. Isokinetic maximal force of the quadriceps at 60°/s Balance control: posturography consisting in measuring variations when standing on a force platform. Body composition assessment through Dual Xray Absorptiometry (DXA), to measure body muscle mass and more specifically appendicular muscle mass index as a criteria of sarcopenia, and bone mineral density. Blood analysis: a blood sample will be withdrawn to measure calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, albumin transthyretin, cell count, C reactive protein. Analysis of the results: We will calculate the sensitivity of the TUG test (abnormal test) to detect fall risk as assessed by an abnormal BBS score. Moreover, in fallers, we will search for predictive factors. More specifically, we will look for the role of a decreased quadriceps force, a reduced muscle mass, a poor tolerance of exercise, the presence of hypoxia (severity of the disease). Perspectives: When validated as a screening test for the risk of falling in COPD patients, the TUG test could be used routinely by physiotherapists as a more simple and faster test and will enable to prevent falls through initiation of a balance control training program.

Official Title
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Evaluation of a Simple Clinical Test to Detect the Risk of Falling in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Research for Predictive Factors of Fall Risk.

Conditions
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COPD Diagnosed

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Timed Up and Go


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: COPD confirmed by pulmonary function tests Long term oxygen therapy since at least 3 months in the LOT+ subgroup Exclusion Criteria: Exacerbation of COPD necessitating an hospitalization or an oral corticosteroid treatment, in the last 4 weeks Pulmonary rehabilitation in the last 3 months Any neurological disease affecting balance control. Inability to perform a walk test

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 80 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| COPD patients without chronic respiratory failure<br>We will recruit COPD patients in stable condition (free of exacerbation of the disease for a month), 40 without chronic respiratory failure and 40 with home oxygen therapy. The patients will be proposed to perform the following tests and to fill in questionnaires | Procedure: Timed Up and Go<br>* It's a functional test evaluating the time to rise from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn around, walk back to the chair and sit down (abnormal cut-off value >12 seconds).<br>|
| COPD patients with home oxygen therapy<br>We will recruit COPD patients in stable condition (free of exacerbation of the disease for a month), 40 without chronic respiratory failure and 40 with home oxygen therapy. The patients will be proposed to perform the following tests and to fill in questionnaires | Procedure: Timed Up and Go<br>* It's a functional test evaluating the time to rise from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn around, walk back to the chair and sit down (abnormal cut-off value >12 seconds).<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Comparison of the Timed Up and Go test and the Berg Balance scale | Comparison of the consistency of abnormal value of the Timed Up and Go test and the Berg Balance scale | at day 1 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sensitivity of the TUG test and the BBS | to detect fall as assessed by the Elderly Falls Screening Test. | at day 1 | 
| Difference in BBS score | between COPD patients without and with chronic respiratory failure (LOT+/- subgroups). | at day 1 | 
| Identify predictive factors of fall risk | walk distance, quadriceps force, muscle mass, balance control. | at day 1 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Fall, Balance control, Screening test, Oxygen, Skeletal muscle mass