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Related Experiment Videos

Peripheral neuropathy: a true risk factor for falls

J K Richardson1, E A Hurvitz

  • 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan Medical Center, USA.

The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
|July 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary
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Peripheral neuropathy (PN) in the elderly is a direct risk factor for falls, not just a marker for other conditions. Impaired vibratory sense and balance predict higher fall risk in older adults with PN.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Geriatrics
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Peripheral nerve dysfunction in the elderly is increasingly linked to falls.
  • Comorbidities associated with peripheral neuropathy (PN) could be the true cause of falls.
  • This study investigated whether PN is a cause or merely a marker for fall-related comorbidities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that PN is a marker for comorbidities causing falls in the elderly.
  • To determine if PN itself is a direct risk factor for falls in older adults.
  • To identify specific clinical factors within the PN group that correlate with falls.

Main Methods:

  • Compared 20 elderly subjects with peripheral neuropathy (PN group) to 20 age/sex-matched controls (C group).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Conducted focused history and physical exams to identify non-PN fall risk factors.
  • Assessed history of falls and postural instability over the past year.

    • Main Results:

    • Peripheral neuropathy (PN) was significantly associated with self-reported falls (55% vs 10%) and postural instability (77% vs 0%).
    • No significant difference in other known fall risk factors between PN and control groups.
    • PN fallers had worse vibratory sense and significantly reduced unipedal stance time compared to non-fallers within the PN group.

    Conclusions:

    • Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a true risk factor for falls in the elderly, not explained by comorbidities.
    • Impaired vibratory sense and reduced unipedal stance time identify elderly individuals with PN at higher risk for falls.