Article

OBJECTIVES: 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: People with ET (n=132) and control subjects (n=48). People with ET
were divided into 2 groups based on the median score on the Modified Mini-Mental
State Examination: those with lower cognitive test scores (ET-LCS) and those with
higher cognitive test scores (ET-HCS). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURES: Six-item Activities of Balance Confidence (ABC-6) Scale and
falls in the previous year. RESULTS: Participants with ET-LCS had lower ABC-6
scores and a greater number of falls than those with ET-HCS (P<.05 for all
measures) or control subjects (P<.01 for all measures). Quantitative gait
measures were significantly correlated with ABC-6 score and falls. Gait speed
(P<.007) and ABC-6 score (P<.02) were significant predictors of falls. Receiver
operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that gait speed <0.9m/s and
ABC-6 score <51% were associated with moderate sensitivity and specificity in
identifying fallers. CONCLUSIONS: People with ET-LCS have impaired gait and
report lower balance confidence and a higher number of falls than their
counterparts (ET-HCS) and than control subjects. We have identified assessments
that are easily administered (gait speed, ABC-6 Scale) and are associated with
falls in ET.
CI - Copyright (c) 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS