title: Epilepsy syndrome-associated balance dysfunction assessed by static posturography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare subclinical balance dysfunction in patients with various epilepsy syndromes with apparently healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients with localization-related epilepsy (LRE), 19 with primary generalized epilepsy (PGE), who had no subjective complaints of impaired balance and no abnormal neurologic findings on examination, and 22 apparently healthy subjects, underwent static posturography using the Posture Scale Analyzer (PSA) system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sway index was higher in patients compared to healthy subjects in all tests, significant for single leg stance (p=0.005). Patients with PGE had a higher sway index compared to patients with LRE in six of the tests, also significant for single leg stance (p=0.027). This difference was not affected by the type of AED treatment or disease duration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Posturography can improve balance function assessment in patients with epilepsy, demonstrate subclinical impairment in seemingly asymptomatic patients, and further characterize balance deficits in different epilepsy syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yahalom
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Blatt
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Neufeld
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dvir
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gandelman-Marton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000150:complications*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult