Abstract
In the present study, the progression of gait impairment in a group of patients with primary degenerative cerebellar ataxias was observed over a period of 4 years. A total of 30 patients underwent an initial gait analysis study, and thereafter only 12 were evaluated because they completed the 2- and 4-year follow-up evaluations. Time-distance parameters, trunk and joint range of motion (RoM), and variability parameters (e.g., coefficients of variation) were measured at the baseline and at each follow-up evaluation. The scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) was used to evaluate disease severity. We found a significant increase in the SARA score at both the 2- and 4-year follow-up evaluations. Almost all the gait variables changed significantly only at the 4-year follow-up. Particularly, we found a significant decrease in the step length and in the hip, knee, and ankle joint RoM values and noted a significant increase in the trunk rotation RoM and stride-to-stride and step length variability. Furthermore, a significant difference in ankle joint RoM was found between spinocerebellar ataxia and sporadic adult-onset ataxia patients, with the value being lower in the former group of patients. Our findings suggest that patients with degenerative cerebellar ataxias exhibit gait decline after 4 years from the baseline. Moreover, patients try to maintain an effective gait by adopting different compensatory mechanisms during the course of the disease in spite of disease progression.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Cerebellum |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - Dec 6 2016 |
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Keywords
- Journal Article
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Progression of Gait Ataxia in Patients with Degenerative Cerebellar Disorders : a 4-Year Follow-Up Study. / Serrao, Mariano; Chini, Giorgia; Casali, Carlo; Conte, Carmela; Rinaldi, Martina; Ranavolo, Alberto; Marcotulli, Christian; Leonardi, Luca; Fragiotta, Gaia; Bini, Fabiano; Coppola, Gianluca; Pierelli, Francesco.
In: Cerebellum, 06.12.2016.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Progression of Gait Ataxia in Patients with Degenerative Cerebellar Disorders
T2 - a 4-Year Follow-Up Study
AU - Serrao, Mariano
AU - Chini, Giorgia
AU - Casali, Carlo
AU - Conte, Carmela
AU - Rinaldi, Martina
AU - Ranavolo, Alberto
AU - Marcotulli, Christian
AU - Leonardi, Luca
AU - Fragiotta, Gaia
AU - Bini, Fabiano
AU - Coppola, Gianluca
AU - Pierelli, Francesco
PY - 2016/12/6
Y1 - 2016/12/6
N2 - In the present study, the progression of gait impairment in a group of patients with primary degenerative cerebellar ataxias was observed over a period of 4 years. A total of 30 patients underwent an initial gait analysis study, and thereafter only 12 were evaluated because they completed the 2- and 4-year follow-up evaluations. Time-distance parameters, trunk and joint range of motion (RoM), and variability parameters (e.g., coefficients of variation) were measured at the baseline and at each follow-up evaluation. The scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) was used to evaluate disease severity. We found a significant increase in the SARA score at both the 2- and 4-year follow-up evaluations. Almost all the gait variables changed significantly only at the 4-year follow-up. Particularly, we found a significant decrease in the step length and in the hip, knee, and ankle joint RoM values and noted a significant increase in the trunk rotation RoM and stride-to-stride and step length variability. Furthermore, a significant difference in ankle joint RoM was found between spinocerebellar ataxia and sporadic adult-onset ataxia patients, with the value being lower in the former group of patients. Our findings suggest that patients with degenerative cerebellar ataxias exhibit gait decline after 4 years from the baseline. Moreover, patients try to maintain an effective gait by adopting different compensatory mechanisms during the course of the disease in spite of disease progression.
AB - In the present study, the progression of gait impairment in a group of patients with primary degenerative cerebellar ataxias was observed over a period of 4 years. A total of 30 patients underwent an initial gait analysis study, and thereafter only 12 were evaluated because they completed the 2- and 4-year follow-up evaluations. Time-distance parameters, trunk and joint range of motion (RoM), and variability parameters (e.g., coefficients of variation) were measured at the baseline and at each follow-up evaluation. The scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) was used to evaluate disease severity. We found a significant increase in the SARA score at both the 2- and 4-year follow-up evaluations. Almost all the gait variables changed significantly only at the 4-year follow-up. Particularly, we found a significant decrease in the step length and in the hip, knee, and ankle joint RoM values and noted a significant increase in the trunk rotation RoM and stride-to-stride and step length variability. Furthermore, a significant difference in ankle joint RoM was found between spinocerebellar ataxia and sporadic adult-onset ataxia patients, with the value being lower in the former group of patients. Our findings suggest that patients with degenerative cerebellar ataxias exhibit gait decline after 4 years from the baseline. Moreover, patients try to maintain an effective gait by adopting different compensatory mechanisms during the course of the disease in spite of disease progression.
KW - Journal Article
U2 - 10.1007/s12311-016-0837-2
DO - 10.1007/s12311-016-0837-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 27924492
JO - Cerebellum
JF - Cerebellum
SN - 1473-4222
ER -