title: Postural response characterization in elderly patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The measurement of the energy consumption (EC) of the body's center of pressure (COP) to maintain the upright stance position was higher in elderly patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) compared with a control group and may be a valid parameter in the assessment of balance disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the energy consumption of the COP in elderly patients with BVH.
  
  
  METHODS
  The COP was recorded on a force platform (FP) for eight elderly patients with BVH related to aging and eight normal control group subjects. The EC of the COP was calculated using the discrete wavelet transform. The two groups were tested in standing position on the FP in three sensory conditions:1, eyes open; 2, eyes closed; and 3, standing on a foam pad placed on the force platform. Wilcoxon's rank test and multi-factor analysis of variance were used, with the level of significance set at 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BVH patients showed higher values of EC of the COP signal measured in arbitrary units compared with the control group (conditions 1 and 2). None of the BVH patients could perform the test in condition 3. BVH patients had increased EC in the frequency band between 0.1 and 0.78 Hz when the visual information was canceled (condition 2).
authors: Laboratory of Otoneurology, British Hospital, Montevideo, Uruguay. hsuarez@chasque.net
authors: Hamlet
authors: H
authors: Suarez
authors: Gonzalo
authors: G
authors: Sotta
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: San Roman
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Arocena
authors: Enrique
authors: E
authors: Ferreira
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Geisinger
authors: Alejo
authors: A
authors: Suarez
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Picerno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D018466:Gravity Sensing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*