TY - JOUR
T1 - Domains and correlates of clinical balance impairment associated with Huntington's disease
AU - Jacobs, Jesse V.
AU - Boyd, James T.
AU - Hogarth, Penelope
AU - Horak, Fay B.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2015/3/1
Y1 - 2015/3/1
N2 - This study sought to (a) determine the domains of clinical balance impairments associated with Huntington's disease (HD), and (b) evaluate associations between balance test scores and other disease-related impairments. Eighteen subjects with genetically definite HD and 17 age-matched control subjects were evaluated on the Mini-BESTest for their clinical balance impairments as well as the Unified HD Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor and total functional capacity scales, Activity-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale-short form, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Results showed that subjects with HD exhibited significantly lower total Mini-BESTest scores than subjects without HD (mean (95% CI)=76 (64-87)% with HD, 98 (96-99)% without HD; p=0.0011). Mini-BESTest item scores were significantly lower for subjects with HD on one-leg stance, postural responses, standing with eyes closed on foam, and dual-task timed up-and-go. Mini-BESTest scores significantly correlated with UHDRS motor (r2=0.68; p=0.00003) and total functional capacity (r2=0.75; p=0.000006) scores as well as with scores on the ABC short form (r2=0.45; p=0.0024), SDMT (r2=0.42; p=0.0036), and MoCA (r2=0.23; p=0.046) assessments. This study, therefore, demonstrates that balance impairments associated with HD span domains of anticipatory postural adjustments, postural responses, stance in challenging sensory conditions, and gait. Although preliminary, clinical balance impairment appears to be an efficient proxy evaluation of multiple HD-related factors due to associations with functional capacity, other motor impairments, balance confidence, and cognitive abilities.
AB - This study sought to (a) determine the domains of clinical balance impairments associated with Huntington's disease (HD), and (b) evaluate associations between balance test scores and other disease-related impairments. Eighteen subjects with genetically definite HD and 17 age-matched control subjects were evaluated on the Mini-BESTest for their clinical balance impairments as well as the Unified HD Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor and total functional capacity scales, Activity-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale-short form, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Results showed that subjects with HD exhibited significantly lower total Mini-BESTest scores than subjects without HD (mean (95% CI)=76 (64-87)% with HD, 98 (96-99)% without HD; p=0.0011). Mini-BESTest item scores were significantly lower for subjects with HD on one-leg stance, postural responses, standing with eyes closed on foam, and dual-task timed up-and-go. Mini-BESTest scores significantly correlated with UHDRS motor (r2=0.68; p=0.00003) and total functional capacity (r2=0.75; p=0.000006) scores as well as with scores on the ABC short form (r2=0.45; p=0.0024), SDMT (r2=0.42; p=0.0036), and MoCA (r2=0.23; p=0.046) assessments. This study, therefore, demonstrates that balance impairments associated with HD span domains of anticipatory postural adjustments, postural responses, stance in challenging sensory conditions, and gait. Although preliminary, clinical balance impairment appears to be an efficient proxy evaluation of multiple HD-related factors due to associations with functional capacity, other motor impairments, balance confidence, and cognitive abilities.
KW - Balance
KW - Huntington's disease
KW - Mini BESTest
KW - Posture
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U2 - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.02.018
DO - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.02.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 25797790
AN - SCOPUS:84927952462
SN - 0966-6362
VL - 41
SP - 867
EP - 870
JO - Gait and Posture
JF - Gait and Posture
IS - 3
ER -