Year: 2024
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Background HD is a neurodegenerative disorder with motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms that typically emerge in the 4th or 5th decades. Balance assessment may be useful in identifying fall risk (FR) as HD progresses. Aims To examine balance and FR in HD using a simple body sway assessment device (BTrackS™) and FR questionnaire. Methods We assessed total body sway (TBS) in 76 HD, 86 premanifest (PM), and 38 normal control (NC) subjects using the BTrackS™ Balance Plate and laptop software. Four ten-second static balance trials with eyes open (EOC) and closed (ECC) were administered in addition to a modification of the Morse Fall Scale (Fall-HD), which provided an individual’s FR score. Kruskal-Wallis testing compared performance between cohorts; Spearman’s rho was used to examine the association between TBS and FR. Results HD subjects showed significantly more TBS compared to PM (p<0.0001) and NC (p<0.0001) subjects in the EOC and ECC. In the ECC, there were also significant differences (p=0.05) between NC and PM subjects. Importantly, when stratified by FR, there were highly significant differences between the Low vs Moderate FR (p<.0001) and Low vs. High FR (p<.0001) subjects in both EOC and ECC (figure 1 and 2). There was a moderate-strong correlation (r=0.60, p<.0001) between TBS and FR in HD gene carriers. Conclusions Our findings reveal worsening balance as HD advances with a moderate-strong correlation between TBS and FR. These measures may serve as important functional markers of HD progression. Further studies will be needed to confirm and extend these findings.
Authors: Nadeen Youhanan, Andrew Hall, Krisha Bagga, Anvit Sidhu, Sean Patel, Ramez Alskaf, Paul E Gilbert, Daniel J Goble, Jody Corey-Bloom
Language: English
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4402374191