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Stride time variability as a marker for higher level of gait control in multiple sclerosis: its association with fear of falling

  • Neurology and Preclinical Neurological Studies - Original Article
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Abstract

Fear of falling (FOF) and gait disorders represent both prevalent symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, the association between FOF and higher level of gait control (HLGC) has not been studied in MS. This study aims to assess the association between FOF and HLGC in patients with MS. HLGC was assessed by stride time variability (STV) during single and dual-tasks (forward counting, backward counting, categorical verbal fluency and literal verbal fluency) and FOF was quantified by the falls efficacy scale-international (FES-I). Seventy-one patients (age: 39.27 ± 9.77 years; 63 % female) were included in this cross-sectional study (Expanded Disability Status Scale (median): 2.00) with a low prevalence of FOF (FES-I: 21.52 ± 8.37). The mean gait speed was 1.19 ± 0.23 m/s with a STV of 2.35 ± 1.68 % during single walking task. STV during single task and the dual tasks of forward counting and backward counting were associated with the FES-I in the univariable linear regression models (p ≤ 0.001), but only STV while backward counting (β: 0.42, [0.18;0.66]) was associated with FOF in the multivariable model (adjusted for age, gender, previous fall, Expanded Disability Status Scale and gait speed). These findings indicate that FOF is associated with STV while backward counting, a marker of HLGC in relationship with working memory in a MS population including a majority of low disabled patients.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the patients for their participations to the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    Gilles Allali, Magali Laidet, Charlotte Elsworth-Edelsten, Frédéric Assal & Patrice H. Lalive

  2. Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York, USA

    Gilles Allali

  3. Willy Taillard Laboratory of Kinesiology, Geneva University Hospitals and Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland

    Stéphane Armand & Charlotte Elsworth-Edelsten

  4. Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    Patrice H. Lalive

Authors
  1. Gilles Allali
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  2. Magali Laidet
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  3. Stéphane Armand
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  4. Charlotte Elsworth-Edelsten
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  5. Frédéric Assal
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  6. Patrice H. Lalive
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Correspondence to Gilles Allali.

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Study funding

Patrice H Lalive and Gilles Allali were supported by a grant from the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Society and an unrestricted grant from Novartis. Gilles Allali was supported by the Baasch-Medicus Foundation.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Allali, G., Laidet, M., Armand, S. et al. Stride time variability as a marker for higher level of gait control in multiple sclerosis: its association with fear of falling. J Neural Transm 123, 595–599 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1551-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1551-4

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