Timed Up & Go test in COPD: Changes over time, validity and responsiveness to pulmonary rehabilitation

Background: The timed up & go (TUG) test is used scarcely in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Before it can be recommended in this population, the measurement properties of this test need to be investigated. We aimed to assess the changes over one year, validity and responsiveness to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) of the TUG test in COPD, and to compare the performance on this test between patients with COPD and healthy subjects. Methods: The time in the TUG test was longitudinally assessed in two samples of patients with COPD (1 st sample, n=95; 2 nd sample, n=241) and cross-sectionally assessed in one sample of healthy subjects (n=60). The 1 st COPD sample was assessed every 4 months during 1 year, while the 2 nd COPD sample was assessed before and after a comprehensive PR programme. In the latter sample other health outcomes were also assessed. Results: The TUG time did not change significantly over one year ( P =0.78). Significant weak-to-strong correlations were found between TUG and other health outcomes, but the strongest correlation was found with the 6-minute walk distance ( r s =-0.60, P <0.0001). The TUG test was responsive to PR (10 (8 – 11) to 9 (8 – 11) s, P <0.03), especially in patients with a longer baseline TUG time (median change -2 (-3 – -1) s, P <0.0001). Patients with COPD presented a worse TUG time compared to healthy subjects ( P <0.0001). Conclusions: The TUG test does not change over one year, is valid for the assessment of functional performance and responsive to PR in patients with COPD. This simple test can provide valuable information to researchers and clinicians.