title: Tinetti and Berg balance scales correlate with disability in hereditary peripheral neuropathies: a preliminary study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The combination of distal muscle weakness, sensory defects and feet deformities leads to disequilibrium in patients affected by Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathy. Studies relating the outcome of balance scales and clinical severity of CMT are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the accuracy of the Tinetti Balance scale (TBS) and Berg Balance scale (BBS) in identifying balance disorders and quantifying disease severity in CMT patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University of Genoa-IRCCS AOU San Martino IST-Department of Neurology, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen individuals with a diagnosis of CMT (12 females, 7 males, age 41.26±12.42).
  
  
  METHODS
  All subjects underwent an evaluation with both TBS and BBS. Disability was quantified with CMT neuropathy score (CMTNS). Moreover, a complete neurophysiological study was performed. Distal lower limbs strength was evaluated with MRC scale. Pearson rank order correlation was used to determine the correlation between the scores on the two tests and to identify an eventual correlation between TBS or BBS and the CMTNS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both scales showed a highly significant negative correlation with the CMTNS (r=-0.78, P<0.0005 and r=-0.77, P<0.001, respectively) and distal weakness on the anterior tibial muscles (AT) (TBS: AT left: r=0.65, P<0.005 and AT right: 0.59, P<0.01; BBS: AT left r=+0.71, P<0.001 and AT right r=+0.66, P<0.005). We found also a highly significant, positive correlation between the two different balance scales (r=+0.9, P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TBS and BBS strongly correlate with disease disability and distal muscular weakness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both TBS and BBS may play a relevant role in the assessment of disability in patients affected by CMT. Further studies are needed to validate our results in a larger population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy - francini.luca@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti Bragadin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Francini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bellone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grandis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canneva
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gemelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ursino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schenone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index