J Clin Med Res

Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.jocmr.org

Original Article

Volume 11, Number 9, September 2019, pages 623-628

“Yubi-wakka” (Finger-Ring) Test: A Tool to Detect Prefrailty in Elderly Populations, a Pilot Study

**Table 1.** Distribution of Results of Finger-Ring Test
	Male
n (%)	2,129 (39.4)
Finger-ring test	Larger	Just fit	Smaller	Sum
65 - 69 years old	370 (43.0)	381 (44.3)	110 (12.8)	861 (100, 40.4)
70 - 74 years old	489 (38.6)	594 (46.8)	185 (14.6)	1,268 (100, 59.6)
Sum	859 (40.3)	975 (45.8)	295 (13.9)	2,129 (100, 100)
n (%)	3,276 (60.6)
Finger-ring test	Larger	Just fit	Smaller	Sum
65 - 69 years old	541 (36.8)	690 (46.9)	240 (16.3)	1,471 (100, 44.9)
70 - 74 years old	696 (38.6)	802 (44.4)	307 (17.0)	1,805 (100, 55.1)
Sum	1,237 (37.8)	1,492 (45.5)	547 (16.7)	3,276 (100, 100)
n (%)	5,405 (100)
Finger-ring test	Larger	Just fit	Smaller	Sum
6 5- 69 years old	911 (39.1)	1,071 (45.9)	350 (15.0)	2,332 (100, 43.1)
70 - 74 years old	1,185 (38.6)	1,396 (45.4)	492 (16.0)	3,073 (100, 56.9)
Sum	2,096 (38.8)	2,467 (45.6)	842 (15.6)	5,405 (100, 100)

Table 1. Distribution of Results of Finger-Ring Test

Male

n (%)

2,129 (39.4)

Finger-ring test

Larger

Just fit

Smaller

Sum

65 - 69 years old

370 (43.0)

381 (44.3)

110 (12.8)

861 (100, 40.4)

70 - 74 years old

489 (38.6)

594 (46.8)

185 (14.6)

1,268 (100, 59.6)

Sum

859 (40.3)

975 (45.8)

295 (13.9)

2,129 (100, 100)

Female

n (%)

3,276 (60.6)

Finger-ring test

Larger

Just fit

Smaller

Sum

65 - 69 years old

541 (36.8)

690 (46.9)

240 (16.3)

1,471 (100, 44.9)

70 - 74 years old

696 (38.6)

802 (44.4)

307 (17.0)

1,805 (100, 55.1)

Sum

1,237 (37.8)

1,492 (45.5)

547 (16.7)

3,276 (100, 100)

All

n (%)

5,405 (100)

Finger-ring test

Larger

Just fit

Smaller

Sum

6 5- 69 years old

911 (39.1)

1,071 (45.9)

350 (15.0)

2,332 (100, 43.1)

70 - 74 years old

1,185 (38.6)

1,396 (45.4)

492 (16.0)

3,073 (100, 56.9)

Sum

2,096 (38.8)

2,467 (45.6)

842 (15.6)

5,405 (100, 100)

**Table 2.** Comparison of Anthropological Data Between “Larger” and “Smaller” Groups
	Male	Female
Data are means. *Significantly higher than those which in the other group.
n	859	295		1,237	547
Age (years)	70.1	70.5*	0.036*	70.1	70.2	0.289
Body height (cm)	165.8	166.7*	0.022*	151.9	152.8*	0.002*
Body weight (kg)	68.6*	58.0	0.000*	55.4*	46.0	0.000*
Body mass index	24.9*	20.8	0.000*	24.0*	19.7	0.000*
Waist circumference (cm)	89.1*	79.2	0.000*	85.4*	75.1	0.000*
Change in body weight over 3 years (dBW 3 years) (kg)	0.2*	-0.9	0.000*	0.3*	-0.6	0.000*
dBW 5 years (kg)	0.2*	-1.2	0.000*	0.2*	-0.8	0.000*
Body weight 2012 (kg)	67.9*	58.8	0.000*	55.3*	46.5	0.000*
Body weight 2014 (kg)	68.1*	58.4	0.000*	55.1*	46.4	0.000*
Body mass index 2012	24.6*	21.1	0.000*	23.7*	19.7	0.000*
Body mass index 2014	24.6*	21.0	0.000*	23.8*	19.8	0.000*
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)	130.7	130.5	0.877	129.3*	126.8	0.0003*
Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)	76.0	75.4	0.356	73.5*	72.0	0.004*

Table 2. Comparison of Anthropological Data Between “Larger” and “Smaller” Groups

Male

Female

Larger

Smaller

P-value

Larger

Smaller

P-value

Data are means. *Significantly higher than those which in the other group.

859

295

1,237

547

Age (years)

70.1

70.5*

0.036*

70.1

70.2

0.289

Body height (cm)

165.8

166.7*

0.022*

151.9

152.8*

0.002*

Body weight (kg)

68.6*

58.0

0.000*

55.4*

46.0

0.000*

Body mass index

24.9*

20.8

0.000*

24.0*

19.7

0.000*

Waist circumference (cm)

89.1*

79.2

0.000*

85.4*

75.1

0.000*

Change in body weight over 3 years (dBW 3 years) (kg)

0.2*

-0.9

0.000*

0.3*

-0.6

0.000*

dBW 5 years (kg)

0.2*

-1.2

0.000*

0.2*

-0.8

0.000*

Body weight 2012 (kg)

67.9*

58.8

0.000*

55.3*

46.5

0.000*

Body weight 2014 (kg)

68.1*

58.4

0.000*

55.1*

46.4

0.000*

Body mass index 2012

24.6*

21.1

0.000*

23.7*

19.7

0.000*

Body mass index 2014

24.6*

21.0

0.000*

23.8*

19.8

0.000*

Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

130.7

130.5

0.877

129.3*

126.8

0.0003*

Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

76.0

75.4

0.356

73.5*

72.0

0.004*

**Table 3.** Comparison of Serological Data Between “Larger” and “Smaller” Groups
	Male	Female
Data are means. *Significantly higher than those which in the other group.
Hemoglobin A1c (%)	5.9*	5.8	0.009*	5.8*	5.6	0.000*
Fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)	104.8	101.7	0.090	100.6*	94.5	0.000*
Red blood cell (× 10^4/mm³)	469.8*	457.5	0.000*	442.6*	437.2	0.004*
Hb (g/dL)	14.7*	14.4	0.000*	13.4	13.3	0.262
Ht (%)	44.6*	43.7	0.000*	41.4	41.1	0.076
High-density lipoprotein (mg/dL)	55.7	62.5*	0.000*	65.7	72.3*	0.000*
Low-density lipoprotein (mg/dL)	116.8*	111.1	0.002*	125.9	126.5	0.650
Triacylglycerols (mg/dL)	135.6*	112.5	0.000*	112.4*	99.2	0.000*
Cr (mg/dL)	0.9	0.9	0.665	0.7*	0.6	0.031*
Estimated glomerular filtration rate (mL/min/1.73 m²)	67.9	72.0*	0.000*	70.5	72.8*	0.002*
Creatinine clearance (mL/min)	77.6*	68.4	0.000*	72.7*	61.9	0.000*
Creatine kinase (mg/dL)	146.5*	123.5	0.000*	110.4	106.4	0.302
Albumin (mg/dL)	4.3*	4.2	0.000*	4.3	4.3	0.854
Aspartate aminotransferase (IU/L)	26.1	25.5	0.391	25.8	24.0	0.331
Alanine aminotransferase (IU/L)	24.7*	19.5	0.000*	21.6*	17.8	0.000*
Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (IU/L)	45.0	51.8*	0.000*	28.8*	26.0	0.033*
Alkaline phosphatase (mg/dL)	208.3	230.1*	0.000*	228.7*	221.2	0.026*
Amylase (mg/dL)	85.1	94.0*	0.000*	81.9	91.3*	0.000*
Uric acid (mg/dL)	6.0*	5.8	0.001*	4.9*	4.6	0.000*
Fe (mg/dL)	110.8	108.1	0.261	100.2	100.2	0.074

Table 3. Comparison of Serological Data Between “Larger” and “Smaller” Groups

Male

Female

Larger

Smaller

P-value

Larger

Smaller

P-value

Data are means. *Significantly higher than those which in the other group.

Hemoglobin A1c (%)

5.9*

5.8

0.009*

5.8*

5.6

0.000*

Fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)

104.8

101.7

0.090

100.6*

94.5

0.000*

Red blood cell (× 10^4/mm³)

469.8*

457.5

0.000*

442.6*

437.2

0.004*

Hb (g/dL)

14.7*

14.4

0.000*

13.4

13.3

0.262

Ht (%)

44.6*

43.7

0.000*

41.4

41.1

0.076

High-density lipoprotein (mg/dL)

55.7

62.5*

0.000*

65.7

72.3*

0.000*

Low-density lipoprotein (mg/dL)

116.8*

111.1

0.002*

125.9

126.5

0.650

Triacylglycerols (mg/dL)

135.6*

112.5

0.000*

112.4*

99.2

0.000*

Cr (mg/dL)

0.9

0.665

0.7*

0.6

0.031*

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (mL/min/1.73 m²)

67.9

72.0*

0.000*

70.5

72.8*

0.002*

Creatinine clearance (mL/min)

77.6*

68.4

0.000*

72.7*

61.9

0.000*

Creatine kinase (mg/dL)

146.5*

123.5

0.000*

110.4

106.4

0.302

Albumin (mg/dL)

4.3*

4.2

0.000*

4.3

0.854

Aspartate aminotransferase (IU/L)

26.1

25.5

0.391

25.8

24.0

0.331

Alanine aminotransferase (IU/L)

24.7*

19.5

0.000*

21.6*

17.8

0.000*

Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (IU/L)

45.0

51.8*

0.000*

28.8*

26.0

0.033*

Alkaline phosphatase (mg/dL)

208.3

230.1*

0.000*

228.7*

221.2

0.026*

Amylase (mg/dL)

85.1

94.0*

0.000*

81.9

91.3*

0.000*

Uric acid (mg/dL)

6.0*

5.8

0.001*

4.9*

4.6

0.000*

Fe (mg/dL)

110.8

108.1

0.261

100.2

0.074

**Table 4.** Distribution of the Metabolic Syndrome (%; Chi-Squared Test) and Pre-MetS in “Lager” and “Smaller” Groups
	Male	Female
Metabolic syndrome: central obesity (85 cm for male and 90 cm for female) with any two of triacylglycerol ≥ 150 mg/dL; high-density lipoprotein < 40 mg/dL; systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mm Hg; and fasting glucose ≥ 110 mg/dL. Pre-metabolic syndrome: central obesity with one positive among others.
No	36	82.7	0.001	73.3	96.3	0.001
Pre-metabolic syndrome	22.9	7.1		0	0
Metabolic syndrome	41.1	10.2		17.9	2.2

Table 4. Distribution of the Metabolic Syndrome (%; Chi-Squared Test) and Pre-MetS in “Lager” and “Smaller” Groups

Male

Female

Larger

Smaller

P-value

Larger

Smaller

P-value

Metabolic syndrome: central obesity (85 cm for male and 90 cm for female) with any two of triacylglycerol ≥ 150 mg/dL; high-density lipoprotein < 40 mg/dL; systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mm Hg; and fasting glucose ≥ 110 mg/dL. Pre-metabolic syndrome: central obesity with one positive among others.

82.7

0.001

73.3

96.3

0.001

Pre-metabolic syndrome

22.9

7.1

Metabolic syndrome

41.1

10.2

17.9

2.2

**Table 5.** Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis of the Positive Results of the Finger-Ring Test
	Hazard ratio	P-value
Male (R² = 0.520, n = 936)
Urinary glucose	1.528	0.0320
Aspartate aminotransferase	1.046	0.0260
Systolic blood pressure	1.019	0.0390
Alanine aminotransferase	0.965	0.0290
Body mass index	0.526	0.0001
Female (R² = 0.505, n = 1,411)
Smoking	2.563	0.0020
Hb	1.384	0.0001
Age	1.063	0.0280
Body mass index	0.537	0.0001

Table 5. Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis of the Positive Results of the Finger-Ring Test

Hazard ratio

P-value

Male (R² = 0.520, n = 936)

Urinary glucose

1.528

0.0320

Aspartate aminotransferase

1.046

0.0260

Systolic blood pressure

1.019

0.0390

Alanine aminotransferase

0.965

0.0290

Body mass index

0.526

0.0001

Female (R² = 0.505, n = 1,411)

Smoking

2.563

0.0020

1.384

0.0001

Age

1.063

0.0280

Body mass index

0.537

0.0001