• Natielly Soares Correia, Joice Mara de Oliveira, Diery Rugila Fernandes, Denner Idelmar Feitosa, Daniel Martins Pereira, Daniel Pereira do Amaral, Rafael Mesquita, Fabio Pitta, Simone Dal Corso, and Karina Couto Furlanetto.
• Stricto Sensu Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University Pitágoras Unopar, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil; and Laboratory of Research in Respiratory Physiotherapy, State University of Londrina (UEL), Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
• Respir Care. 2023 Aug 1; 68 (8): 105810661058-1066.

BackgroundUpper-limbs (ULs) functional tests which are valid and reliable for individuals with chronic respiratory disease (CRD) are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the intra-rater reproducibility, validity, minimal detectable difference (MDD), and learning effect of the Upper Extremity Function Test - simplified version (UEFT_S) functional test and to characterize its performance for adults with moderate-severe asthma and COPD.MethodsThe UEFT_S was performed twice, and the number of elbow flexions in 20 s was the outcome. In addition, spirometry, 6-min walk test (6MWT), handgrip dynamometry (HGD), and usual and maximum timed-up-and-go tests (TUG_usual and TUG_max) were also performed.ResultsEighty-four individuals with moderate-severe CRD and 84 control individuals matched by anthropometric data were analyzed. Individuals with CRD presented better performance in the UEFT_S than controls (P = .023). UEFT_S correlated significantly with HGD, TUG_usual, TUG_max, and 6MWT (P < .047 for all). The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.91 [0.86-0.94], and the MDD was 0.4%.ConclusionsThe UEFT_S is a valid and reproducible tool to assess the functionality of the ULs in people with moderate-severe asthma and COPD. When applied in the modified form, the test can be considered simple, fast, and inexpensive, with an easy outcome to interpret.Copyright © 2023 by Daedalus Enterprises.

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