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Is there a relationship between objective and subjective assessment of balance in elderly patients with instability?

  • Otology
  • Published:
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Abstract

To assess whether a subjective questionnaire that measures the disability caused by balance disorders in daily life activities is correlated to objective assessment of balance in elderly patients with age-related instability. We included 37 subjects aged 65 years or more who presented balance disorders induced solely by age. Balance assessment was through the sensory organisation test and limits of stability of computerised dynamic posturography, the SwayStar system and the modified timed up and go test. The patients also completed the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) questionnaire. The SwayStar balance control index (BCI) was most significantly correlated to the DHI score and the score of its different scales. When we divided the patients into subgroups according to DHI score, we only found statistically significant differences in the BCI and number of falls. In our population of elderly patients with instability, there is practically no correlation between the DHI and the static balance assessment. However, there is greater correlation with the BCI, which could show that dynamic balance is perceived as more disabling for these patients. In this case, when designing a rehabilitation protocol we should focus more on dynamic activities such as gait.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant of the National Institute of Health Carlos III (National R&D&I Plan 2008–2011, dossier PI11/01328).

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Lucus Augusti, Calle Dr. Ulises Romero, 1, 27003, Lugo, Spain

    Marcos Rossi-Izquierdo

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Sofía Santos-Pérez, María Del-Río-Valeiras, Antonio Lirola-Delgado, Ana Faraldo-García, Isabel Vaamonde-Sánchez-Andrade & Andrés Soto-Varela

  3. Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Hospital Clínico Universitario, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Pilar Gayoso-Diz

Authors
  1. Marcos Rossi-Izquierdo
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  2. Sofía Santos-Pérez
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  3. María Del-Río-Valeiras
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  4. Antonio Lirola-Delgado
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  5. Ana Faraldo-García
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  6. Isabel Vaamonde-Sánchez-Andrade
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  7. Pilar Gayoso-Diz
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  8. Andrés Soto-Varela
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Correspondence to Marcos Rossi-Izquierdo.

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Rossi-Izquierdo, M., Santos-Pérez, S., Del-Río-Valeiras, M. et al. Is there a relationship between objective and subjective assessment of balance in elderly patients with instability?. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 272, 2201–2206 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3122-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3122-3

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