Computerized Dynamic Posturography in the Objective Assessment of Balance in Patients With Intermittent Claudication
详细信息 查看全文
- 作者：Katherine A. Mockford ; Fayyaz A.K. Mazari ; Alastair R. Jordan ; Natalie Vanicek ; Ian ; C. Chetter ; Patrick A. Coughlin
- 刊名：Annals of Vascular Surgery
- 出版年：2011
- 出版时间：February 2011
- 年：2011
- 卷：25
- 期：2
- 页码：182-190
- 全文大小：353 K
文摘
One-third of all elderly patients fall each year and impaired balance has been recognized as a specific risk factor. Intermittent claudication is common among the elderly population, affecting approximately 5 % of the population over the age of 50. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to assess the prevalence of impaired balance among elderly claudicants and to assess each patient’s insight into their own risk of falling. A total of 58 claudicants (45 men), median age of 70 (interquartile range = 65-73) years, underwent objective balance assessment by using computerized dynamic posturography. As compared with 195 (5 % ) historic controls, 24 (41 % ) of the claudicants demonstrated abnormal balance when the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) was used. Vestibular dysfunction occurred in 52 % of the claudicants. Abnormalities including somatosensory (22 % ), visual function (17 % ), and preferential reliance on inaccurate visual cues (17 % ) occurred less often. Prolonged Motor Control Test latency times were uncommon (n = 13) and were in most cases evenly distributed between those with normal (n = 7) and abnormal (n = 6) composite SOT scores. There was a significant difference in history of falling between claudicants with abnormal and normal SOT scores (p = 0.003), with a higher number of patients with abnormal SOT having experienced falling in the past year. However, no correlation between fear of falling and composite SOT score was found (Spearman rank correlation, r = 0.124; p = 0.381). Impaired balance, particularly secondary to vestibular problems, is very common among claudicants and may predispose to a high incidence of falls. Claudicants with abnormal balance are more likely to have a history of falls but not a fear of falling, thus potentially rendering these patients to be at a greater risk.