Journal article
Motor impairments are associated with fear of falling in people with Parkinson's disease
Age and Ageing, Vol.46(suppl_2), ii19
2017
Abstract
Introduction
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common, clinically heterogeneous, neurodegenerative disease, which is characterised by motor symptoms such as gait deficit. Motor and non-motor (e.g. visual and cognitive) dysfunctions are common in PD and lead to increased falls risk. Fear of falling (FoF) has been associated with increased falls prevalence in PD, and likely relates to motor and non-motor dysfunction. Understanding the features that underpin FoF will improve therapeutic management. The objective of this study was to quantify and interpret important contributors to FoF in PD.
Methods
70 participants with mild-to-moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr Stage I:17, II:43, III:10) recruited from Movement Disorder Clinics in Newcastle upon Tyne were assessed for FoF using the Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I). Falls history was gained retrospectively over the 12-months prior to assessment. A range of demographic, clinical, visual, cognitive and gait outcomes were also obtained. The associations between FES-I and secondary outcomes were assessed using Spearman correlations, with variables demonstrating significance entered into multivariate regression models and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to determine significant predictors of FoF.
Results
Motor symptoms of reduced gait speed (beta = -0.239, p = 0.007), greater UPDRS II score (self-evaluation of motor experiences of Activities of Daily Living (ADL)) (beta = 0.611, p < 0.001), and a history of previous falls (beta = 0.278, p = 0.016) predicted FoF in PD. Notably, non-motor visual and cognitive deficits did not directly predict FoF in PD (F = 0.692, p = 0.678).
Conclusions
Impaired gait speed, impaired ADL function and a history of falls are associated with FoF in people with mild-to-moderate PD. The complex causal interaction between FoF, motor symptoms and falls remains unclear. Speculatively, interventions that target motor symptoms may help reduce FoF.
Details
- Title
- Motor impairments are associated with fear of falling in people with Parkinson's disease
- Authors/Creators
- J. Nell (Author/Creator)S. Stuart (Author/Creator)B. Galna (Author/Creator)L. Alcock (Author/Creator)L. Rochester (Author/Creator)
- Publication Details
- Age and Ageing, Vol.46(suppl_2), ii19
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society
- Identifiers
- 991005541779807891
- Copyright
- © The Author 2017
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch University
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.235 Throat & Voice Disorders
- 1.235.1185 Voice Disorders
- Web Of Science research areas
- Geriatrics & Gerontology
- ESI research areas
- Clinical Medicine