Gait and balance impairments in Alzheimer disease patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics and associated factors of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients with balance and gait impairments.


METHODS
Balance and gait impairments were assessed in 380 AD patients using the Tinetti test.


RESULTS
A total of 120 (31.5%) patients had an abnormal Tinetti test, 96 (25.2%) had balance impairments, and 72 (18.9%) patients presented gait impairments. Global Tinetti score was associated with age [odds ratio (OR), 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-1.14], Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90-0.99), activities of daily living (ADL) score (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.47-0.83), and being man (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25-0.78). Balance impairment was associated with age (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.17), ADL score (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43-0.84), and being female (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.08-0.49). Gait impairment was associated with age (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.03-1.15), MMSE score (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87-0.98), ADL score (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.46-0.87), body mass index (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01-1.18), presence of comorbidities (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.14-3.96), and the Cornell score (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.12-7.89).


CONCLUSIONS
AD patients are frequently concerned with balance and gait impairments. These impairments were associated to factors related to the severity of the disease (low MMSE and low ADL); nonmodifiable factors such as age or sex; and modifiable factors such as depression, obesity, and presence of comorbidities.
Mazoteras Muñoz
Virginia
V
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Univ Toulouse III, Toulouse, France.
Abellan van Kan
Gabor
G
Cantet
Christelle
C
Cortes
Frederic
F
Ousset
Pierre-Jean
PJ
Rolland
Yves
Y
Vellas
Bruno
B
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D004856:Postural Balance