Gait speed and related factors in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between gait speed and various factors in ambulatory patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. [Subjects] Fifty ambulatory patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease who were admitted to an outpatient clinic were included in this cross-sectional study. [Methods] The Hoehn and Yahr Scale was used for measurement of the disease severity. Gait speed was measured by the 10-Meter Walk Test. Mobility status was assessed by Timed Up and Go Test. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used for evaluation of emotional state. Cognitive status was examined with the Mini-Mental State Examination. The Downton Index was used for fall risk assessment. Balance was evaluated with the Berg Balance Scale. Comorbidity was measured with the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey was completed for measurement of quality of life. [Results] The mean age was 66.7 (47–83) years. Twenty-eight (56%) patients were men. Gait speed was correlated positively with height, male gender, Mini-Mental Examination score, Berg Balance Scale score and physical summary scores of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. On the other hand, there was a negative correlation between gait speed and age, disease severity, TUG time, Downton Index, fear of falling, previous falls and the anxiety and depression scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. There was no correlation between gait speed and comorbidity. [Conclusion] The factors related with the slower gait speed are, elder age, clinically advanced disease, poor mobility, fear of falling, falling history, higher falling risk, and mood disorder.

Investigation of factors impacting mobility and gait in Parkinson disease

“…Balance impairments are present in early disease stages and can even be detected in patients with de novo PD (Chastan et al, 2008; Mancini et al, 2011). Previously demonstrated strong correlations between measures of balance and gait and mobility measures support our findings (Paker et al, 2015). Future research should be conducted to determine whether performance in specific domains of balance (e.g.…”

Microsoft Kinect-based differences in lower limb kinematics during modified timed up and go test phases between men with and without Parkinson’s disease

“…However, the GS of PD patients in the current study was considerably slower compared to a study of Parker [18] (0.77m/s vs 0.94 m/s), though the stage of the disease was similar in both of the studies. Findings of the current study are closer to average GS of 0.88 m/s detected in PD participants with more advanced disease (H&Y score 3-4) [7].…”

“…Besides the short distance also accele ration (post standing up and starting to walk) and deceleration (prior to turning) were included in our study. In contrast, Hass [7] and Parker [18] measured the GS while straight line walking. However, as CG performed under same circumstances, the difference in GS between PD patients and controls is evident and the slowness of PD patients cannot be solely attributed to the short walking distance.…”

“…GS is often measured in gait laboratories [18]. Zampieri [22] found that PD patients walk slower in home settings compared to gait laboratories settings while performing iTUG test.…”

Extended “Timed Up and Go” assessment as a clinical indicator of cognitive state in Parkinson's disease

“…Moreover, an extended-TUG duration beyond 15 seconds could flag patients with presumptive cognitive impairment for further assessment. However, a patient's extended-TUG assessment must be interpreted in an individual's context, as reported confounders of walking speed include A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T medication, existing injuries, or other causes of gait disturbance (such as a previous cerebrovascular event) 37,38 .…”