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Increased intra-individual variability in stride length and reaction time in recurrent older fallers.
- Source :
- Aging Clinical & Experimental Research; Oct-Dec2011, Vol. 23 Issue 5/6, p393-399, 7p, 3 Charts, 1 Graph
- Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- Aims: To study and compare both mean performance measures as well as intra-individual variability measures of stride length and reaction time in vulnerable recurrent and non-recurrent older fallers. Methods: Stride length during walking and walking while dual-tasking (GAlTRite®) and choice reaction time (CANTAB®) were assessed in geriatric outpatients and their informal caregivers (n=60, ≥60 yrs). Logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to generate models with mean performance measures and intra-individual variability measures (coefficients of variation; CV=[sd/mean]x100)), as risk factors for recurrent falls. Results: Reaction-time CV was higher in recurrent fallers than in non-recurrent fallers: 21.3% [9.3-47.7] vs 15.8% [8.3-34.9] (p=0.04). Also, stride-length CV was higher in recurrent fallers during performance of the verbal fluency dual-task: 4.5% [1.2-31.4] vs 3.5% [0.9-9.7](p=0.017). The model with CVs provided an explained variance of 23.7%, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.73, which was higher than that of the model including mean performance measures (8.6% and 0.65 respectively). Conclusions: Older recurrent fallers are characterized by increased within-task variability in reaction time and stride length while dual- tasking. In addition, variability in performance is a more sensitive measure in discrimination of recurrent falls than mean performance itself, suggesting deterioration in neurocognitive regulation mechanisms as part of the causal pathway for recurrent falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 15940667
- Volume :
- 23
- Issue :
- 5/6
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Aging Clinical & Experimental Research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 76443514
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03337764