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Prospective Longitudinal Study of Gait and Balance in a Cohort of Elderly Essential Tremor Patients.

ABSTRACT: Background: Essential tremor (ET) encompasses a variety of features, including tremor, cognitive dysfunction, and gait and balance impairments. Gait and balance impairments in ET are often mild, but they can be severe and are, in some cases, associated with functional sequelae in terms of increased fall risk and reduced balance confidence. Previous research on gait and balance in ET has been limited to cross-sectional comparisons. There have been no longitudinal studies or prospective studies. As such, our understanding of natural history and possible predictors of declines in ET-related gait and balance impairments is incomplete. Objectives: We (1) present natural history data on the change in gait and balance measures over time, (2) provide estimates of annual rate of change in each gait and balance metric, and (3) examine the relationship between baseline clinical predictors and changes in gait and balance over time. Methods: 149 ET participants (mean age 78.7 years), enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal, clinical-pathological study, underwent an extensive evaluation of cognition, tremor, and gait and balance at three distinct intervals performed every 18 months. Gait and balance measures included a combination of performance-based tests (e.g., tandem gait, tandem stance) and self-reported assessments (e.g., number of falls, use of a walking aid). Results: Between the baseline and final assessments, numerous balance and gait measures showed evidence of decline and annual rates of change were quantified for each. We examined the predictive utility of clinical variables at baseline for five gait and balance outcomes, with global cognition and executive function standing out as the most consistent predictors. Conclusions: We present a much-needed look into the course of disease for elderly patients with ET, focusing on changes observed in gait and balance and the predictors of these changes. These results also add another dimension to the relevance of cognitive impairment observed in ET; such impairment can now be viewed as predictive of poorer gait and balance over time in ET. These findings are a useful tool for clinicians, patients, and their families to better understand and plan for changing disease-features over time.

SUBMITTER: Dowd H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7691661 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Prospective Longitudinal Study of Gait and Balance in a Cohort of Elderly Essential Tremor Patients.

Dowd Hollie H Zdrodowska Maria Anna MA Radler Keith H KH Cersonsky Tess E K TEK Rao Ashwini K AK Huey Edward D ED Cosentino Stephanie S Louis Elan D ED

Frontiers in neurology 20201113

<b>Background:</b> Essential tremor (ET) encompasses a variety of features, including tremor, cognitive dysfunction, and gait and balance impairments. Gait and balance impairments in ET are often mild, but they can be severe and are, in some cases, associated with functional sequelae in terms of increased fall risk and reduced balance confidence. Previous research on gait and balance in ET has been limited to cross-sectional comparisons. There have been no longitudinal studies or prospective stu ...[more]

PMID: 33304305

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Project description:Essential tremor (ET) is among the most common neurological diseases and it often runs in families. How knowledgeable ET patients and their families are about their disease has been the subject of surprisingly little scholarship.To fill this gap in knowledge, we administered a comprehensive 32-item survey (i.e., questions about etiology, pathophysiology, symptoms and signs, natural history, and treatments) to 427 participants, including 76 ET probands, 74 affected relatives (AFRs), 238 unaffected relatives, and 39 spouses of unaffected relatives, all of whom were participating in two ET family studies. We hypothesized that there would be gaps in knowledge about ET and furthermore, that probands and AFRs would be the most knowledgeable, followed by unaffected relatives and then spouses of unaffected relatives, who would be the least knowledgeable.Overall, ET patients lacked knowledge about their disease. Nearly one-third of probands answered "yes" or "do not know" to the question, "is ET the same or different from the type of tremor that many normal people can get when they become old and frail?" A similar proportion did not know whether children could get ET or they responded "no." Nearly one-fourth of affecteds (i.e., probands and AFRs) did not know whether or to what degree (e.g., very well, moderately well, not well) the symptoms of ET could be medically controlled, and 38.0% either reported that there was no brain surgery for ET or reported that they did not know. Nearly 17% of affecteds did not endorse genes as a cause for ET, which was surprising given the fact that this was a family study of ET. Probands and AFRs were the most knowledgeable, followed by unaffected relatives. Spouses of unaffected relatives were the least knowledgeable.We targeted a large group of ET patients and their families, as this group is perhaps most likely to be informed about the disease. ET patients and their AFRs were more knowledgeable about the features of ET than their family members without ET. Overall, however, knowledge of ET was very limited and this lack of knowledge encompassed all aspects of the disease including its underlying causes, the nature of the symptoms and signs, its natural history and its treatment. Further ET awareness education and programs targeting both families of ET patients and the public would help alleviate this gap in knowledge.

Project description:Purpose:To investigate the effects of a multimodal intervention including a modified Paleolithic diet, nutritional supplements, stretching, strengthening exercises with electrical stimulation of trunk and lower limb muscles, meditation and massage on walking performance and balance of subjects with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and methods:Twenty subjects with mean (standard deviation) age of 51.7 (6.4) years and Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 6.2 (1) participated in a 12-month study. Assessments were completed at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Results:The entire cohort did not show significant changes in any of the assessments over 12 months except higher speed of walking toward the 10 feet mark during timed up and go (TUG) test at 6 months compared with baseline (mean change 7.9 cm/s [95% confidence interval {CI}]: 0.3, 15.2; p=0.041). Sub-group analysis revealed that 50% subjects (n=10) showed decrease in TUG time from baseline to at least 3 of 4 time-points post-intervention and were considered as responders (TUG-Res), the remaining 10 subjects were considered as nonresponders (TUG-NRes). Over 12 months, TUG-Res showed decreased mean TUG time by 31% (95% CI: -52%, -2%), increased median Berg Balance Scale scores (42 to 47), 30% increase in mean timed 25-foot walk speed (>20% considered clinically significant) and increased speed of walk toward 10 feet mark during TUG by 11.6 cm/s (95% CI: -3.0, 25.9) associated with increases in step lengths and decrease in step duration. TUG-NRes showed deterioration in walking ability over 12 months. Comparison of TUG-Res and TUG-NRes showed no significant differences in adherence to intervention but better stride duration and longer step length at baseline for TUG-Res than for TUG-NRes (p<0.05). Conclusion:A multimodal lifestyle intervention may improve walking performance and balance in subjects with progressive MS who have mild-to-moderate gait impairment, whereas subjects with severe gait impairments may not respond to this intervention. Future trials should assess effects of this intervention in subjects with MS during early stages of the disease.

Project description:HighlightsThis prospective study is one of the largest clinical trials in essential tremor to date. Study findings suggest that individualized non-invasive neuromodulation therapy used repeatedly at home over three months results in safe and effective hand tremor reduction and improves quality of life for many essential tremor patients.BackgroundTwo previous randomized, controlled, single-session trials demonstrated efficacy of non-invasive neuromodulation therapy targeting the median and radial nerves for reducing hand tremor. This current study evaluated efficacy and safety of the therapy over three months of repeated home use.MethodsThis was a prospective, open-label, post-clearance, single-arm study with 263 patients enrolled across 26 sites. Patients were instructed to use the therapy twice daily for three months. Pre-specified co-primary endpoints were improvements on clinician-rated Tremor Research Group Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale (TETRAS) and patient-rated Bain & Findley Activities of Daily Living (BF-ADL) dominant hand scores. Other endpoints included improvement in the tremor power detected by an accelerometer on the therapeutic device, Clinical and Patient Global Impression scores (CGI-I, PGI-I), and Quality of Life in Essential Tremor (QUEST) survey.Results205 patients completed the study. The co-primary endpoints were met (p?0.0001), with 62% (TETRAS) and 68% (BF-ADL) of 'severe' or 'moderate' patients improving to 'mild' or 'slight'. Clinicians (CGI-I) reported improvement in 68% of patients, 60% (PGI-I) of patients reported improvement, and QUEST improved (p = 0.0019). Wrist-worn accelerometer recordings before and after 21,806 therapy sessions showed that 92% of patients improved, and 54% of patients experienced ?50% improvement in tremor power. Device-related adverse events (e.g., wrist discomfort, skin irritation, pain) occurred in 18% of patients. No device-related serious adverse events were reported.DiscussionThis study suggests that non-invasive neuromodulation therapy used repeatedly at home over three months results in safe and effective hand tremor reduction in many essential tremor patients.

Dataset Information

Prospective Longitudinal Study of Gait and Balance in a Cohort of Elderly Essential Tremor Patients.

Publications

Prospective Longitudinal Study of Gait and Balance in a Cohort of Elderly Essential Tremor Patients.

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