Factors related to walking independence in patients with dementia hospitalized in psychiatric wards

Abstract

Department of Rehabilitation, Akita Prefectural Center for Rehabilitation and Psychiatric Medicine, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University

Purpose: Patients with dementia suffer from behavioral limitations due to factors such as cognitive and physical decline, physical restraints, and side effects of polypharmacy. These factors affect motor function and activities of daily living (ADL); however, factors related to the degree of walking independence remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the factors associated with walking independence in patients with dementia hospitalized in psychiatric wards.

Methods: This study included 98 patients with dementia who underwent physical therapy. The patients were classified into two groups according to their walking independence at discharge from our hospital: independent walkers (n=63) and dependent walkers (n=35). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed with walking independence as the dependent variable, and factors affecting motor function and ADL as independent variables.

Results: Both Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and antidementia drug-dose rate were significantly higher in the independent walker group than in the dependent walker group (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis extracted the Mini-Mental State Examination, SPPB, and total number of antidementia drugs, sleeping drugs, antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, and antiparkinsonian drugs were identified as significant variables.

Conclusion: These results suggest the importance of assessing cognitive functions, lower limb function, and medication status for evaluating walking independence in hospitalized patients with dementia.