COMPARISON OF GAIT CHARACTERISTICS BEFORE AND AFTER CEREBROSPINAL FLUID TAP TEST IN IDIOPATHIC NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS PATIENTS AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

Authors : Ümit Yeşil, Nihal Gelecek, Derya Kaya, İlke Kara, Ahmet Turan Işık

Pages : 164-173

View : 44 | Download : 54

Publication Date : 2024-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Purpose: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNBH) is a neurological disorder associated with ventriculomegaly and normal cerebrospinal fluid pressure and characterized by gait disturbances, cognitive changes and urinary incontinence. We aimed to compare patients\' gait characteristics with iNBH before and after the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap test with the control group. Methods: Twenty-three iNBH patients with a mean age of 75.34±5.36 years and 20 healthy controls with a mean age of 72.65±5.63 years participated in the study. The iNPH group underwent gait characteristics assessment immediately before and within the first 24 hours after the CSF tap test. Gait speed, stride length, and cadence were evaluated using the G-walk sensor-based gait analysis system. The same assessments were performed in the control group. Results: The percentage change in walking speed, right and left stride length, and cadence parameters of patients with iNPH after the CSF tap test were 6.49, 2.06, 1.02, and 4.16, respectively. In patients with iNPH, there was a statistically significant increase in walking speed (p 0.05) and cadence(p>0.05) did not significantly increase. Walking speed, stride length, and cadence assessment performed before and after the CSF tap test in patients with iNBH were statistically worse than the control group. Conclusion: The CSF tap test improved gait characteristics in patients with iNPH, but our results showed that iNPH patients with the CSF tap test still had slower gait speed, shorter stride length, and lower cadence than older individuals without iNPH.
Keywords : yaşlı, normal basınçlı hidrosefali, yürüme analizi, spinal ponksiyon