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Affiliation
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Department of Neurology, G.H. Sergievsky Center, and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To examine 1) the effect of cognitive ability on balance confidence and falls, 2) the relationship of balance confidence and falls with quantitative measures of gait, and 3) measures that predict falls, in people with Essential Tremor (ET).
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: One-hundred-eighty participants (132 people with ET and 48 controls). People with ET were divided into two groups based on the median score on the modified Mini Mental State Exam: ET-LCS vs. ET-HCS. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Activities of Balance Confidence-6 (ABC) scale and falls in the previous year.
RESULTS: ET-LCS had lower ABC-6 scores and a greater number of falls than ET-HCS (p<0.05 for all measures) or controls (p<0.01 for all measures). Quantitative gait measures were significantly correlated with ABC-6 score and falls. Gait speed (p<0.007) and ABC-6 score (p<0.02) were significant predictors of falls. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis revealed that gait speed < 0.9 m/s and ABC-6 score < 51% were associated with moderate sensitivity and specificity in identifying fallers.
CONCLUSIONS: People with ET with low cognitive scores have impaired gait, and report lower balance confidence, and higher number of falls than their counterparts with higher cognitive scores, and controls. We have identified assessments that are easily administered (gait speed and ABC-6 scale), and are associated with falls in ET.
Language: en |