Quantifying gait deviations in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis using the Gait Deviation Index

Area of Science:

• Biomechanical analysis
• Rheumatology
• Clinical gait assessment

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) commonly affects joints, leading to altered gait patterns.
• Quantifying gait deviations in RA patients is crucial for understanding disease impact.
• The Gait Deviation Index (GDI) is a validated measure of overall gait deviation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability of the Gait Deviation Index (GDI) in adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• To assess the GDI's ability to identify gait deviations, its inter-trial repeatability, and its relationship with walking speed, physical disability, and pain in RA patients.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case-control study included 63 adults with RA and 59 healthy controls.
• Three-dimensional gait analysis (3DGA) was performed, and GDI scores were calculated.
• GDI was assessed at free-speed and speed-matched conditions; physical disability and pain were also measured.

Main Results:

• Adults with RA exhibited significantly greater gait deviations than healthy individuals (lower GDI scores).
• GDI scores remained significantly lower in RA patients even after adjusting for walking speed.
• A change of at least 5 GDI units was needed to indicate natural gait variation; no clear link was found between GDI and disability/pain levels.

Conclusions:

• The GDI is a useful tool for identifying and summarizing gait deviations in individuals with RA.
• The GDI provides a comprehensive measure of gait deviation, potentially reflecting lower extremity pathology.
• GDI can aid clinicians in understanding the impact of RA on gait dynamics.