Static postural control disturbances among the different multiple sclerosis phenotypes: A Neurocom Balance Manager

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Computerized stabilometric platforms offer advantages over clinical scales for evaluating postural control and balance in Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
• Self-administered questionnaires are also utilized for balance assessment in MS.
• This study focuses on static postural control using the Neurocom Balance Manager® and the modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate static postural control in patients with Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS), relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), and progressive MS (PMS) using the mCTSIB.
• To compare postural control parameters between different MS subtypes and healthy controls (HC).
• To assess the reliability and sensitivity of the mCTSIB in measuring static postural control in MS.

Main Methods:

• Consecutive MS patients (CIS, RRMS, PMS) and healthy controls (HC) were enrolled.
• Postural control was assessed using the Neurocom Balance Manager® and mCTSIB, measuring parameters like Total Path Length (TPL) and Sway Area (SA) with eyes open and closed.
• Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Barthel Index (BI) were used for balance and disability assessment, respectively.

Main Results:

• All balance parameters were significantly more impaired in the MS group compared to controls and CIS.
• No significant balance differences were found between healthy controls (HC) and CIS.
• The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) strongly correlated with sway area (SA) and path length (TPL) parameters.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences in balance performance were observed among healthy controls, CIS, and MS patients.
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients, particularly those with progressive MS (PMS), demonstrated the worst balance performance, especially in eyes-closed conditions.
• The strong correlation between mCTSIB balance parameters (especially sway area) and BBS scores confirms the mCTSIB's reliability for assessing static postural control in MS.