Balance Control and Its Correlation with Functional Capacity in People with Post-Tuberculosis Lung Disease

<jats:p>Background: Because falls can lead to loss of autonomy in individuals with post-tuberculosis lung disease (iwPTLD), assessing fall risk is an important health issue. This study aimed to evaluate balance control (BC) in iwPTLD and correlate it with functional capacity during exertion (FCE), pulmonary function, muscle strength, and fatigue. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed BC in iwPTLD using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Tinetti Balance Scale (TBS), and the Timed "Up and Go" Test (TUGT). Participants also underwent assessments of pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, handgrip strength (HGS), quadriceps strength (QMS), general fatigue, and functional capacity during exertion (FCE) using the six-minute step test (6MST). Results: Of the 50 individuals with iwPTLD, 66%, 38%, and 46% had a BBS, TBS, and TUGT, respectively, indicating a moderate/high risk of falls. The degree of agreement between BC classifications was weak to poor (Kappa between 0.15 and 0.35). The BBS correlated significantly with the QMS (rs=0.373, p=0.007) and the 6MST (rs=0.290, p=0.041). The TBS correlated significantly with fatigue (rs= 0.376, p=0.016), HGS (rs= 0.325, p=0.021), BBS (rs= 0.291, p=0.040), and 6MST (rs= 0.310, p=0.028). The TUGT correlated significantly with fatigue (rs= -0.340, p=0.015), residual volume/total lung capacity (rs=-0.500, p=0.0004), QMS (rs=-0.641, p&amp;lt;0.0001), and 6MST (rs=0.696, p&amp;lt;0.0001). Conclusions: In iwPTLD, BC damage appears to be common, with alterations observed in up to two-thirds of cases. In these individuals, the worse the BC, the greater the static pulmonary hyperinflation, the worse the peripheral muscle strength, and the more deteriorated the FCE.</jats:p>