TY - JOUR PY - 2017// TI - Fear of falling in people with multiple sclerosis: which clinical characteristics are important? JO - Physical therapy A1 - Khalil, Hanan A1 - Al-Shorman, Alham A1 - El-Salem, Khalid A1 - Abdo, Nour A1 - Alghwiri, Alia A. A1 - Aburub, Aseel A1 - Shalabi, Sarah A1 - Al-Mustafa, Firas SP - 698 EP - 706 VL - 97 IS - 7 N2 - BACKGROUND.: Fear of falling (FOF) is an important risk indicator for health related outcomes and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, factors associated with FOF in MS are not well investigated.

OBJECTIVES.: This study was done to explore predictors of FOF in this population.

METHODS.: Seventy relapsing remitting patients with MS were evaluated. FOF was assessed using Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I). Motor outcomes included: 30-second chair stand test (30s-CST), Berg Balance Scale, 10-Meter Walk Test (10-MWT) and 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT). Cognitive status was determined using Montréal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Affective factors including depression; fatigue and sleep were also assessed using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)respectively.

RESULTS: FOF was significantly correlated with all motor and affective measures used. Howeve., a stepwise regression found that only BBS from motor measures, MOCA from cognitive measures, and sleep disorders from affective factors were significantly predictive of the FOF.

CONCLUSIONS.: FOF inpatients with MS is multifactorial and includes motor and non-motor factors. Thus, therapies that aim to reduce risk of falling in this population should address motor functions, cognitive abilities, and sleep quality.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0031-9023 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzx044 ID - ref1 ER -