title: Ataxia at altitude measured on a wobble board.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a simple measure of ataxia for use at high altitude.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy subjects took part in a trek to 5005 m. At 5 different altitudes on the route, they undertook a balance test using a wobble board. The primary objectives were to investigate disturbances of ataxia at altitude and to correlate any observed disturbances with acute mountain sickness (AMS) scores. Secondary outcomes were correlations with cerebral regional oxygenation, pulse oximetry, and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a short learning curve, the wobble board test was found to be reproducible. Subjects over 31 years of age were significantly less steady than younger subjects. Subjects suffering acute mountain sickness scored significantly worse on the wobble board test, although scores did not correlate with a specific question on unsteadiness. A positive test defined as equal to or more than 2.5 contacts over 2 minutes gave a predictive value for acute mountain sickness of 66.7% at 4650 m and 100% at 5005 m. Cerebral regional oxygenation in 9 subjects at 5005 m correlated with the wobble board test (r = 0.73; p < .05), whereas pulse oximetry did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The wobble board may be a useful adjunct in quantitating ataxia in the field. A positive result may indicate the presence of AMS and may be a useful clinical measure of cerebral hypoxia but should be correlated with other clinical features.
authors.affiliation: Chirk Surgery, 1-2 Castle Road, Chirk, Wrexham, UK. brian.johnson@gp-w91024.wales.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Alexander D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hillenbrand
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Beazley
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: Christopher H E
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Imray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001259:Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009051:Mountaineering; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results