Lower Limb Rigidity Is Associated with Frequent Falls in Parkinson's Disease.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background and objective
The role of muscle rigidity as an etiological factor of falls in Parkinson's disease (PD) is poorly understood. Our objective was to determine whether lower leg rigidity was differentially associated with frequent falls in PD compared to upper limb, neck, and total rigidity measures.Methods
We examined the associations between Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Part III (motor) rigidity subscores and the history of monthly or more frequent falls in 216 individuals with PD (age, 66?±?10 years; 36% female; disease duration, 7?±?5 years) with logistic regression.Results
A total of 35 individuals were frequent fallers. Significant associations were identified between lower limb rigidity and frequent falls (P =?0.01) after controlling for age, sex, PD duration, total Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale- Part III score, and presence of freezing of gait. No significant associations (P???0.14) were identified for total, arm, or neck rigidity.Conclusion
Lower limb rigidity is related to frequent falls in people with PD. Further investigation may be warranted into how parkinsonian rigidity could cause falls.
SUBMITTER: McKay JL
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6660233 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Lower Limb Rigidity Is Associated with Frequent Falls in Parkinson's Disease.
McKay J Lucas JL Hackney Madeleine E ME Factor Stewart A SA Ting Lena H LH
Movement disorders clinical practice 20190606 6
<h4>Background and objective</h4>The role of muscle rigidity as an etiological factor of falls in Parkinson's disease (PD) is poorly understood. Our objective was to determine whether lower leg rigidity was differentially associated with frequent falls in PD compared to upper limb, neck, and total rigidity measures.<h4>Methods</h4>We examined the associations between Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Part III (motor) rigidity subscores and the history of monthly or more frequent falls in ...[more]
Similar Datasets
Project description:ObjectivesPatients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have deficits in lower-limb functions such as gait, which involves both cognitive and motor dysfunction. In PD, theta and beta brain rhythms are associated with cognitive and motor functions, respectively. We tested the hypothesis that PD patients with lower-limb abnormalities would exhibit abnormal theta and beta rhythms in the mid-frontal cortical region during lower-limb action.MethodsThis study included thirty-nine participants; 13 PD patients with FOG (PDFOG+), 13 without FOG (PDFOG-), and 13 demographically-matched controls. We recorded scalp electroencephalograms (EEG) during a lower-limb pedaling motor task, which required intentional initiation and stopping of a motor movement.ResultsFOG scores were correlated with disease severity and cognition. PDFOG+ patients pedaled with reduced speed and decreased acceleration compared to PDFOG- patients and controls. PDFOG+ patients exhibited attenuated theta-band (4-8 Hz) power and increased beta-band (13-30 Hz) power at mid-frontal electrode Cz during pedaling. Frontal theta- and beta-band oscillations also correlated with motor and cognitive deficits.ConclusionFrontal theta and beta oscillations are predictors of lower-limb motor symptoms in PD and could be used to design neuromodulation for PD-related lower-limb abnormalities.SignificanceThese data provide insight into mechanisms of lower-limb dysfunction in PD with FOG.
| S-EPMC8112379 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To determine factors associated with future falls and/or near falls in people with mild PD.The study included 141 participants with PD. Mean (SD) age and PD-duration were 68 (9.7) and 4 years (3.9), respectively. Their median (q1-q3) UPDRS III score was 13 (8-18). Those >80 years of age, requiring support in standing or unable to understand instructions were excluded. Self-administered questionnaires targeted freezing of gait, turning hesitations, walking difficulties in daily life, fatigue, fear of falling, independence in activities of daily living, dyskinesia, demographics, falls/near falls history, balance problems while dual tasking and pain. Clinical assessments addressed functional balance performance, retropulsion, comfortable gait speed, motor symptoms and cognition. All falls and near falls were subsequently registered in a diary during a six-month period. Risk factors for prospective falls and/or near falls were determined using logistic regression.Sixty-three participants (45%) experienced ≥ 1 fall and/or near fall. Three factors were independent predictors of falls and/or near falls: fear of falling (OR = 1.032, p<0.001) history of near falls (OR = 3.475, p = 0.009) and retropulsion (OR = 2.813, p = 0.035). The strongest contributing factor was fear of falling, followed by a history of near falls and retropulsion.Fear of falling seems to be an important issue to address already in mild PD as well as asking about prior near falls.
| S-EPMC4311993 | biostudies-other
Project description:Slip-related falls can be induced by instability or limb collapse, but the key factors that determine these two fall causations remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that contribute towards instability-induced and limb-collapse-induced slip-related falls by investigating 114 novel slip trials. The segment angles and moments of the recovery limb after slip-onset from pre-left-touchdown (pre-LTD) to post-left-touchdown (post-LTD) were calculated, and logistic regression was used to detect which variable contributed most to instability-induced and limb-collapse-induced falls. The results showed that recovery from instability was determined by the angle of the thigh at LTD (87.7%), while recovery from limb collapse was determined by the angle of the shank at post-LTD (90.4%). Correspondingly, instability-induced falls were successfully predicted (81.5%) based on the initial thigh angle at pre-LTD and the following peak thigh moment, while limb-collapse-induced falls were successfully predicted (85.5%) based on the initial shank angle at LTD and the following peak shank moment. According to our findings, taking a shorter recovery step and/or increasing the counterclockwise moment of the thigh after pre-LTD would help individuals resist instability-induced falls, while taking a larger recovery step and/or increasing the clockwise moment of the shank post-LTD would help resist limb-collapse-induced falls. The findings of this study are crucial for future clinical applications, because individually tailored reactive balance training could be provided to reduce vulnerability to specific types of falls and improve recovery rates post-slip exposure.
| S-EPMC6930351 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundFalls are a major health burden for older adults with Parkinson's disease (PD), but there is currently no reliable questionnaire to capture the circumstances and consequences of falls in older adults with PD. This study aimed to develop a PD-specific falls questionnaire and to evaluate its test-retest reliability in older adults with PD.MethodsA novel PD-specific falls questionnaire (PDF-Q) was developed in two modes (online and paper-based version) and used to assess falls and near-falls events over the past 12-months. Questions were agreed upon by an expert group, with the domains based on previous falls-related questionnaires. The questions included the number and circumstances (activities, location and direction) of falls and near-falls, and consequences (injuries and medical treatment) of falls. The PDF-Q was distributed to 46 older adults with PD (online n = 30, paper n = 16), who completed the questionnaire twice, 4 weeks apart. Kappa (κ) statistics were used to establish test-retest reliability of the questionnaire items.ResultsPooled results from both questionnaires for all participants were used to assess the overall test-retest reliability of the questionnaire. Questions assessing the number of falls (κ = 0.41) and the number of near-falls (κ = 0.51) in the previous 12-months demonstrated weak agreement, while questions on the location of falls (κ = 0.89) and near-falls (κ = 1.0) demonstrated strong to almost perfect agreement. Questions on the number of indoor (κ = 0.86) and outdoor (κ = 0.75) falls demonstrated moderate to strong agreement, though questions related to the number of indoor (κ = 0.47) and outdoor (κ = 0.56) near-falls demonstrated weak agreement. Moderate to strong agreement scores were observed for the most recent fall and near-fall in terms of the direction (indoor fall κ = 0.80; outdoor fall κ = 0.81; near-fall κ = 0.54), activity (indoor fall κ = 0.70; outdoor fall κ = 0.82; near-fall κ = 0.65) and cause (indoor fall κ = 0.75; outdoor fall κ = 0.62; near-fall κ = 0.56).ConclusionsThe new PDF-Q developed in this study was found to be reliable for capturing the circumstances and consequences of recent falls and near-falls in older adults with PD.
| S-EPMC8557480 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Sarcopenia is a complex and multifactorial geriatric condition seen in several chronic degenerative diseases. This study aimed to screen for sarcopenia and fall risk in a sample of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and to investigate demographic and clinical factors associated. METHODS:This is a cross-sectional study. We evaluated 218 PD patients at the Movement Disorders Clinic in Fortaleza, Brazil, and collected clinical data including experiencing falls in the six months prior to their medical visit. Probable sarcopenia diagnosis was confirmed by using a sarcopenia screening tool (SARC-F questionnaire) and the presence of low muscle strength. RESULTS:One hundred and twenty-one patients (55.5%) were screened positive for sarcopenia using the SARC-F and 103 (47.4%) met the criteria for probable sarcopenia. Disease duration, modified Hoehn and Yahr stage, Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale score, levodopa equivalent dose, probable sarcopenia and positive SARC-F screening were all associated with experiencing falls. Disease duration, lower quality of life and female gender were independently associated with sarcopenia. Experiencing falls was significantly more frequent among patients screened positive in the SARC-F compared to those screened negative. CONCLUSIONS:Sarcopenia and PD share common pathways and may affect each other's prognosis and patients' quality of life. Since sarcopenia is associated with lower quality of life and increased risk of falls, active case finding, diagnosis and proper management of sarcopenia in PD patients is essential.
| S-EPMC7082018 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) are at increased risk for falls, which lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. Understanding the motor and non-motor impairments associated with falls in PD is critical to informing prevention strategies. In addition to motor symptoms, individuals with PD exhibit non-motor deficits, including impaired set shifting, an aspect of executive function related to cognitive flexibility that can be measured quickly with the Trailmaking Test. RESEARCH QUESTION:To determine whether impaired set shifting is associated with fall history in people with and without PD. METHODS:We examined associations between set shifting, PD status, and fall history (?1 falls in the previous 6 months) in data from PD patients (n?=?65) with and without freezing of gait (FOG) and community-dwelling neurologically-normal older adults (NON-PD) (n?=?73) who had participated in our rehabilitation studies. RESULTS:Impaired set shifting was associated with previous falls after controlling for age, sex, overall cognitive function, PD status, FOG, and PD disease duration (OR?=?1.29 [1.03-1.60]; P?=?0.02). Consistent with literature, PD and FOG were also independently associated with increased fall prevalence (PD OR?=?4.15 [95% CI 1.65-10.44], P?<?0.01; FOG OR?=?3.63 [1.22-10.80], P?=?0.02). Although the strongest associations between set shifting and falling were observed among PD without FOG (OR?=?2.11) compared to HOA (OR?=?1.14) and PD with FOG (OR?=?1.46), no statistically-significant differences were observed across groups. SIGNIFICANCE:Impaired set shifting is associated with previous falls in older adults with and without PD. Set shifting may be useful to include in fall risk assessments, particularly when global cognitive measures are within reference limits.
| S-EPMC5960619 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe MDS-UPDRS (Movement Disorders Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) is the most widely used scale for rating impairment in PD. Subscores measuring bradykinesia have low reliability that can be subject to rater variability. Novel technological tools can be used to overcome such issues.ObjectiveTo systematically explore and describe the available technologies for measuring limb bradykinesia in PD that were published between 2006 and 2016.MethodsA systematic literature search using PubMed (MEDLINE), IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, Scopus and Engineering Village (Compendex and Inspec) databases was performed to identify relevant technologies published until 18 October 2016.Results47 technologies assessing bradykinesia in PD were identified, 17 of which offered home and clinic-based assessment whilst 30 provided clinic-based assessment only. Of the eligible studies, 7 were validated in a PD patient population only, whilst 40 were tested in both PD and healthy control groups. 19 of the 47 technologies assessed bradykinesia only, whereas 28 assessed other parkinsonian features as well. 33 technologies have been described in additional PD-related studies, whereas 14 are not known to have been tested beyond the pilot phase.ConclusionTechnology based tools offer advantages including objective motor assessment and home monitoring of symptoms, and can be used to assess response to intervention in clinical trials or routine care. This review provides an up-to-date repository and synthesis of the current literature regarding technology used for assessing limb bradykinesia in PD. The review also discusses the current trends with regards to technology and discusses future directions in development.
| S-EPMC5302048 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundParkinson's disease (PD) traditionally is characterized by tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia, although cognitive impairment also is a common symptom. The clinical presentation of PD is heterogeneous and associated with different risk factors for developing cognitive impairment. PD patients with primary akinetic/rigidity (PDAR) are more likely to develop cognitive deficits compared to those with tremor-predominant symptoms (PDT). Because cognitive impairment in PD appears to be related to changes in the default mode network (DMN), this study tested the hypothesis that DMN integrity is different between PDAR and PDT subtypes.MethodResting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) and whole brain volumetric data were obtained from 17 PDAR, 15 PDT and 24 healthy controls (HCs) using a 3T scanner. PD patients were matched closely to HCs for demographic and cognitive variables, and showed no symptoms of dementia. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to examine brain gray matter (GM) volume changes between groups. Independent component analysis (ICA) interrogated differences in the DMN among PDAR, PDT, and HC.ResultsThere was decreased activity in the left inferior parietal cortex (IPC) and the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) within the DMN between PDAR and both HC and PDT subjects, even after controlling for multiple comparisons, but not between PDT and HC. GM volume differences between groups were detected at a lower threshold (p < 0.001, uncorrected). Resting state activity in IPC and PCC were correlated with some measures of cognitive performance in PD but not in HC.ConclusionThis is the first study to demonstrate DMN differences between cognitively comparable PDAR and PDT subtypes. The DMN differences between PD and HC appear to be driven by the PDAR subtype. Further studies are warranted to understand the underlying neural mechanisms and their relevance to clinical and cognitive outcomes in PDAR and PDT subtypes.
| S-EPMC5375103 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To evaluate the training effect of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) in postural control and backward fall prevention in the elderly, balance assessment and visually guided lower limb response time were analyzed in a case-control study conducted in a community setting. Thirty-one elderly subjects (mean age: 68.2 +/- 6.8 years) participated in the TCC group, 30 community-dwelling elderly subjects with matched age and body composition served as the elderly control group, with 13 young adults (mean age: 27.5 +/- 3.8 years) serving as young controls. The TCC group had practiced TCC regularly five times per week, for over 30 min per day for at least 4 years. Lower limb response time were measured using a computerized dance machine that we developed, which contains two blocks during testing: single and dual feet. The motor planning of the latter is more complex than the former. Postural control was assessed by computerized posturography (Smart Balance Master). Compared to the elderly controls, the TCC group demonstrated significantly better balance performance in sway-referenced support, which is more challenging. Moreover, the TCC group had better dual feet response than the elderly controls in the forward-backward, forward-right and forward-left directions. Practicing TCC may improve motor responses and postural control in the elderly, particularly in more challenging situations. Subjects showed better postural responses to unexpected perturbation in the forward-backward and forward-sideways direction than sideways or backward-sideways directions, which may have clinical relevance.
| S-EPMC2693735 | biostudies-other
Project description:INTRODUCTION:Falling is among the most serious clinical problems in Parkinson's disease (PD). We used body-worn sensors (falls detector worn as a necklace) to quantify the hazard ratio of falls in PD patients in real life. METHODS:We matched all 2063 elderly individuals with self-reported PD to 2063 elderly individuals without PD based on age, gender, comorbidity, and living conditions. We analyzed fall events collected at home via a wearable sensor. Fall events were collected either automatically using the wearable falls detector or were registered by a button push on the same device. We extracted fall events from a 2.5-year window, with an average follow-up of 1.1?years. All falls included were confirmed immediately by a subsequent telephone call. The outcomes evaluated were (1) incidence rate of any fall, (2) incidence rate of a new fall after enrollment (ie, hazard ratio), and (3) 1-year cumulative incidence of falling. RESULTS:The incidence rate of any fall was higher among self-reported PD patients than controls (2.1 vs. 0.7 falls/person, respectively; P?<?.0001). The incidence rate of a new fall after enrollment (ie, hazard ratio) was 1.8 times higher for self-reported PD patients than controls (95% confidence interval, 1.6-2.0). CONCLUSION:Having PD nearly doubles the incidence of falling in real life. These findings highlight PD as a prime "falling disease." The results also point to the feasibility of using body-worn sensors to monitor falls in daily life. © 2019 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
| S-EPMC7003816 | biostudies-literature