TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - A statistical approach to discriminate between non-fallers, rare fallers and frequent fallers in older adults based on posturographic data
JO  - Clinical biomechanics
A1  - Maranesi, E.
A1  - Merlo, A.
A1  - Fioretti, S.
A1  - Zemp, D. D.
A1  - Campanini, I.
A1  - Quadri, P.
SP  - 8
EP  - 13
VL  - 32
IS  - 
N2  - Background  Identification of future non-fallers, infrequent and frequent fallers among older people would permit focusing the delivery of prevention programs on selected individuals. Posturographic parameters have been proven to differentiate between non-fallers and frequent fallers, but not between the first group and infrequent fallers.     Methods  In this study, postural stability with eyes open and closed on both a firm and a compliant surface and while performing a cognitive task was assessed in a consecutive sample of 130 cognitively able elderly, mean age 77(7)years, categorized as non-fallers (N = 67), infrequent fallers (one/two falls, N = 45) and frequent fallers (more than two falls, N = 18) according to their last year fall history. Principal Component Analysis was used to select the most significant features from a set of 17posturographic parameters. Next, variables derived from principal component analysis were used to test, in each task, group differences between the three groups.     Findings  One parameter based on a combination of a set of Centre of Pressure anterior-posterior variables obtained from the eyes-open on a compliant surface task was statistically different among all groups, thus distinguishing infrequent fallers from both non-fallers (P < 0.05) and frequent fallers (P < 0.05).     Interpretation  For the first time, a method based on posturographic data to retrospectively discriminate infrequent fallers was obtained. The joint use of both the eyes-open on a compliant surface condition and this new parameter could be used, in a future study, to improve the performance of protocols and to verify the ability of this method to identify new-fallers in elderly without cognitive impairment.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0268-0033
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2015.12.009
ID  - ref1
ER  -