[Gait and stability disorders of the elderly. Clinical analysis of a series of 259 patients older than 70 years].
BACKGROUND
Gait and stability disorders of the elderly are frequent and a cause of disability, but studies on their clinical features and etiology are scarce, including the relationship between both disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate an extensive series of patients with gait and stability disorders, its clinical variants and posible pathogenic significance.


METHODS
259 patients older than 70 years consulting for chronic gait and stability symptoms in an outpatients neurologic clinic were retrospectively reviewed. Several clinical and evolution data are analyzed.


RESULTS
Mean age was 78.8 years and 61.8% were women. 52 % were hypertensive. 161 cases had disequilibrium, 91 a cautious gait and seven other types of gait abnormality. 11 % had associated dementia. 27 % showed subcortical white matter abnormalities on computed tomography scan. In 28 cases a specific cause could be established. In follow-up 33.5 % worsened. Significant differences between cases of disequilibrium and cautious gait were increased age, functional disability and turn abnormality in the latter.


CONCLUSIONS
Disequilibrium and cautious gait of the elderly share some clinical features, have few specific causes and vary from mild cases to a disabling <<encephalic gait disease>>.
Calandre
L
L
Servicio de Neurología y Ambulatorio de Pontones, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. calanho@teleline.es
Conde
I
I
Bermejo Pareja
F
F
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001284:Atrophy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies