Getting the right measure: Gait speed assessment and outcomes in older patients with cancer

INTRODUCTION: Gait speed (GS) reflects an individual's physical capacity and is often used to assess the level of fitness in older individuals with cancer. Importantly, GS can be measured in various ways. This study examined the association between several GS measurements and one-year mortality in older patients with head and neck cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 227 patients. GS was measured at usual and fast pace using a 5-m walkway. GS reserve (fast-usual GS) and GS ratio (fast/usual GS) were calculated. GS measurements were analyzed both as continuous and categorical variables. For the categorical analyses, two categorical GS variables were created: '1 m/s' and '25th percentile.' Each variable included three categories: for '1 m/s': usual and fast GS