It turns out the the speed you walk (gait speed) is predictive of so many things that folks are now calling it "The Sixth Vital Sign." But here's some funny: everybody is calling everything the sixth vital sign including:
- Urinary continence
- End-tidal CO2
- Emotional distress
- Spirometry
- Glucose
- Functional Status
- Intracranial pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Molecular Genetics, in Oncology
Who will become the sixth, who knows? Some of these require a test in which the tester needs to be trained. Others are self-reported and we lie. But gait speed requires a stopwatch and 2 meters of hallway. Then just read the gait speed tea leaves!
Here's a full explanation I wrote recently!
Here's another version!
Here's a full explanation I wrote recently!
Here's another version!
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