Relation of arterial stiffness with postural control in older people.

PURPOSE: Arterial stiffness generates vascular alterations that may cause balance disorders and falls. This study aimed to investigate the possible link between arterial stiffness and postural control under different sensorial conditions in patients over 65 years. METHODS: Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured in 47 participants aged over 65 years to evaluate their arterial stiffness (high PWV). Twenty-seven participants (mean age = 70.52 ± 4.02 years, 22 females) had a normal PWV (< 10 m s-1) and 20 participants (mean age = 75.93 ± 6.11 years; 15 females) had a high PWV (≥ 10 m s-1). Postural control was evaluated using a force platform in four postural conditions: eyes open (EO) 1, eyes closed (EC), eyes open with a dual task (DT) and eyes open again (EO2). Using sway path traveled and surface covered by the center of foot pressure, we calculate the length function of surface (LFS). This ratio provides information about the precision (surface) of postural control and the effort made (length) by the subjects. RESULTS: After an age-adjustment, LFS was lower in EO than in EC and DT in both groups (p ≤ 0.001). LFS was higher in participants with high PWV both in eyes open and eyes closed conditions (p < 0.05). LFS increased when PWV increased in EO (p < 0.01) and EC conditions (p < 0.001) but not when a dual task was performed. CONCLUSION: Difficulties in maintaining equilibrium under a dual-task condition are more pronounced in people with increased arterial stiffness. These data suggest that understanding of the influence of the arterial stiffness level on specific balance control parameters could contribute to propose better balance-oriented rehabilitation programs in older adults in an attempt to prevent fall.

A simple clinical scale to stratify risk of recurrent falls in community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older.

BACKGROUND: Correct identification of people at risk for recurrent falls facilitates the establishment of preventive and rehabilitative strategies in older adults. OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were: (1) to develop and validate a simple clinical scale to stratify risk for recurrent falls in community-dwelling elderly people based on easily obtained social and clinical items and (2) to evaluate the added value of 3 clinical balance tests in predicting this risk. DESIGN: This was a prospective measurement study. METHODS: A population of 1,618 community-dwelling people over 65 years of age underwent a health checkup, including performance of 3 clinical balance tests: the One-Leg-Balance Test, the Timed "Up & Go" Test, and the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test. Falls were recorded using a self-administered questionnaire that was completed a mean (SD) of 25+/-5 months after the visit. Participants were randomly divided into either group A (n=999), which was used to develop the scale, or group B (n=619), which was used to prospectively validate the scale. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis identified 4 variables that independently predicted recurrent falls in group A: history of falls, living alone, taking >or=4 medications per day, and female sex. Thereafter, 3 risk categories of recurrent falls (low, moderate, and high) were determined. Predicted probability of recurrent falls increased from 4.1% to 30.1% between the first and third categories. This scale subsequently was validated with great accuracy in group B. Only the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test provided added value in the estimation of risk for recurrent falls, especially for the participants who were at moderate risk, in whom failure on the test (duration of >15 seconds) doubled the risk. LIMITATIONS: Falls were assessed only once, and length of follow-up was heterogeneous (18-36 months). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians could easily classify older patients in low-, moderate-, or high-risk groups of recurrent falls by using 4 easy-to-obtain items. The Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test provides added value to stratify risk for falls in people at moderate risk.

Blood pressure and pulse wave velocity values in the institutionalized elderly aged 80 and over: baseline of the PARTAGE study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the longitudinal study PARTAGE (predictive values of blood pressure and arterial stiffness in institutionalized very aged population) was to determine the predictive value of blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness for overall mortality, major cardiovascular events and cognitive decline in a large population of institutionalized patients aged 80 and over. In the study herein, we present the baseline data values of this study. METHODS: A total of 1130 patients were recruited (878 women), living in French and Italian nursing homes. Clinical and 3-day self-measurements of BP were conducted. Aortic and upper limb pulse wave velocity were obtained using a PulsePen tonometer. RESULTS: Of this population, 76% of women and 60% of men had a known hypertension and over 91% of the patients were under antihypertensive treatment; 51% of the treated hypertensive patients were well controlled (systolic BP <140 mmHg). No significant differences were found between clinical and self-measured BP. With age, there was an increase in pulse pressure (P < 0.001) due to a decrease in diastolic BP (P < 0.001), without any increase in systolic BP. Aortic but not peripheral pulse wave velocity significantly increased with age (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Baseline values obtained herein demonstrate that elderly patients living in nursing homes present hemodynamic characteristics which are different to those described in community-living elderly populations, and indicate the interest of assessing, in longitudinal studies, the role of BP and arterial stiffness in morbidity and mortality in this population.

Impact of clinical, psychological, and social factors on decreased Tinetti test score in community-living elderly subjects: a prospective study with two-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Balance and gait are essential to maintain physical autonomy, particularly in elderly people. Thus the detection of risk factors of balance and gait impairment appears necessary in order to prevent falls and dependency. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of demographic, social, clinical, psychological, and biological parameters on the decline in balance and gait assessed by the Tinetti test (TT) after a two-year follow-up. MATERIAL/METHODS: This prospective study was conducted among community-living, young elderly volunteers in the centre "Investigations Preventives et Cliniques" and "Observatoire De l'Age" (Paris, France). Three hundred and forty-four participants aged 63.5 on average were enrolled and performed the TT twice, once at inclusion and again two years later. After the two-year follow-up, two groups were constituted according to whether or not there was a decrease in the TT score: the "TT no-deterioration" group comprised subjects with a decrease of less than two points and the "TT deterioration" group comprised those with a decrease of two points or more. Selected demographic, social, clinical, psychological, and biological parameters for the two groups were then compared. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed that female sex, advanced age, high body mass index, osteoarticular pain, and a high level of anxiety all have a negative impact on TT score. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of predictive factors of the onset or worsening of balance and gait disorders could allow clinicians to detect young elderly people who should benefit from a specific prevention program.

Clinical determinants of failure in balance tests in elderly subjects.

We assessed the role of clinical and biological parameters on performance in four balance tests in elderly subjects. An observational study was conducted in the Center for Preventive Medicine of Nancy (France) in 2368 community-living elderly subjects aged 60 and older. Body mass index (BMI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), clock test, "Health score" and use of psychotropic drugs (UPD) were assessed. Participants performed four balance tests: "one-leg-stand" (OLS), "timed-up-and-go" (TUG), "rise-from-the-floor" (RFF) and "sit-to-stand" (STS). The statistical analysis showed that women were almost twice as likely to fail balance tests as men. In both women and men, the following determinant factors of the performance in balance tests were found: for OLS: age, BMI and health score; for TUG: age, BMI, clock test and health score; for RFF: BMI and health score. In addition, in women other determinant factors were: MMSE for OLS, UPD for TUG, age and clock test for RFF. In men, the clock test and the UPD were also significant determinant factors for OLS. Similar results were found for STS. In conclusion, female sex, overweight, low cognitive status, low self-perception of health and UPD were associated with a higher risk of failure in balance tests.

Posturography and risk of recurrent falls in healthy non-institutionalized persons aged over 65.

BACKGROUND: A poor postural stability in older people is associated with an increased risk of falling. The posturographic tool has widely been used to assess balance control; however, its value in predicting falls remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this prospective study was to determine the predictive value of posturography in the estimation of the risk of recurrent falls, including a comparison with standard clinical balance tests, in healthy non-institutionalized persons aged over 65. METHODS: Two hundred and six healthy non-institutionalized volunteers aged over 65 were tested. Postural control was evaluated by posturographic tests, performed on static, dynamic and dynamized platforms (static test, slow dynamic test and Sensory Organization Test [SOT]) and clinical balance tests (Timed 'Up & Go' test, One-Leg Balance, Sit-to-Stand-test). Subsequent falls were monitored prospectively with self-questionnaire sent every 4 months for a period of 16 months after the balance testing. Subjects were classified prospectively in three groups of Non-Fallers (0 fall), Single-Fallers (1 fall) and Multi-Fallers (more than 2 falls). RESULTS: Loss of balance during the last trial of the SOT sensory conflicting condition, when visual and somatosensory inputs were distorted, was the best factor to predict the risk of recurrent falls (OR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.3-10.11). Multi-Fallers showed no postural adaptation during the repetitive trials of this sensory condition, contrary to Non-Fallers and Single-Fallers. The Multi-Fallers showed significantly more sway when visual inputs were occluded. The clinical balance tests, the static test and the slow dynamic test revealed no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: In a sample of non-institutionalized older persons aged over 65, posturographic evaluation by the SOT, especially with repetition of the same task in sensory conflicting condition, compared to the clinical tests and the static and dynamic posturographic test, appears to be a more sensitive tool to identify those at high-risk of recurrent falls.