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Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
Ten steps to identify atypical parkinsonism
W F Abdo1, G F Borm, M Munneke
1Department of Neurology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|July 19, 2006
Summary
Tandem gait is a key indicator differentiating Parkinson's disease from atypical parkinsonism. Most Parkinson's patients perform well, while atypical cases often show significant gait impairment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Movement Disorders
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Balance impairment is common in Parkinson's disease (PD).
- Profound balance disorders are atypical in PD, suggesting other parkinsonian syndromes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of tandem gait performance in differentiating PD from atypical parkinsonism (AP).
Main Methods:
- Assessed tandem gait (10 steps) in 36 PD patients and 49 AP patients.
- Compared the proportion of patients with normal tandem gait between the two groups.
Main Results:
- 92% of PD patients had normal tandem gait, compared to only 18% of AP patients.
- This diagnostic accuracy was consistent even in patients with disease duration under 3 years.
Conclusions:
- Tandem gait performance effectively distinguishes between PD and AP.
- Tandem gait can serve as a valuable "red flag" in clinical settings to identify AP.
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