Hospitalization-associated disability (HAD) results from the impact of acute illness and hospital factors and can affect 1/3 of the elderly. This context reflects functional dependency and increased consumption of health resources. Clinical tests applied in the hospital environment help quantify the effects of acute illness and hospitalization.

To evaluate the impact on functionality of hospitalized elderly by means of clinical tests and to assess their correlations.

Cross-sectional study with 40 elderly patients hospitalized for acute illness and who were ambulating independently 2 weeks before admission. Variables assessed: manual grip strength (MPF) (it was considered as weakness below 27 kgf for men and 16 kgf for women), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) test (evaluates balance, speed and strength with scores from 0 to 12) and gait speed at admission and at discharge.

Of those evaluated, 25 were male, mean age was 77 ± 7 years, mean length of stay 8 ± 6 days. At admission, FPM: 22 ± 9 kgf, SPPB score: 7 ± 4 and walking speed: 0.65m/s ± 0.25. At hospital discharge: FPM: 21 ± 9 kgf, SPPB score 8 ± 4 and gait speed 0.60 ± 0.23m/s. There was no statistically significant difference between FPM and gait speed at admission and at discharge (p > 0.05). Only the SPPB showed statistical and clinical significance (p = 0.02). Length of stay correlated negatively with FPM (p=0.11, r=-0.26) and SPPB (p=0.12, r=-0.25). FPM correlated with SPPB (p=0, r=0.58) and with gait speed (p=0, r=0.71).

Average of 8 days of hospitalization was not enough to reduce the functionality of the hospitalized elderly by the applied tests, however, there is correlation between loss of strength and functional loss.

FPM, gait speed and SPPB may be useful tools to assess the functionality of hospitalized elderly.