MS Speaks

From PubMed, November 6, 2017:

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Nov 1.

Prediction of falls in subjects suffering from Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke

Beghi E1, Gervasoni E2, Pupillo E1, Bianchi E1, Montesano A2, Aprile I3, Agostini M4, Rovaris M2, Cattaneo D5; NEUROFALL Group..
Collaborators (10)

Author information
1
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milano, Italy.
2
Larice Laboratory Centro IRCCS, Fondazione Don Gnocchi, Milano, Italy.
3
Centro IRCCS, Fondazione Don Gnocchi, Roma, Italy.
4
Laboratorio di Cinematica e Robotica, I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo, Venezia, Italy.
5
Larice Laboratory Centro IRCCS, Fondazione Don Gnocchi, Milano, Italy.

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the risk of falls and fall predictors in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke using the same study design.

DESIGN:

Multicenter prospective cohort study.

SETTING:

Three [masked] institutions for physical therapy and rehabilitation.

PARTICIPANTS:

Patients with PD, MS and stroke seen for rehabilitation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Functional scales were applied to investigate balance, disability, daily performance, self-confidence with balance, and social integration. Patients were followed for 6 months. Telephone interviews were organized at 2, 4 and 6 months to record falls and fall-related injuries. Incidence ratios, Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used.

RESULTS:

299 patients (MS 111, PD and stroke 94 each) were enrolled and 259 had complete follow-up. One hundred and twenty-two (47.1%) fell at least once; 82 (31.7%) were recurrent fallers, 44 (17.0%) suffered injuries; 16%, 32% and 40% fell at 2, 4 and 6 months. Risk of falls was associated with disease type (PD, MS and stroke in decreasing order) and confidence with balance (ABC scale). Recurrent fallers were 7%, 15% and 24% at 2, 4 and 6 months. The risk of recurrent falls was associated with disease type, high educational level and the ABC score. Injured fallers were 3%, 8% and 12% at 2, 4 and 6 months. The only predictor of falls with injuries was disease type (PD).

CONCLUSIONS:

PD, MS and stroke carry a high risk of falls. Other predictors include perceived balance confidence and high educational level.

This study seems to be saying that the more education you have, the more likely you are to fall if you have MS, Parkinson's disease, or stroke....

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29102438