External validation of a simple clinical tool used to predict falls in people with Parkinson disease. Issue 8 (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Duncan, Ryan P.; Cavanaugh, James T.; Earhart, Gammon M.; Ellis, Terry D.; Ford, Matthew P.; Foreman, K. Bo; Leddy, Abigail L.; Paul, Serene S.; Canning, Colleen G.; Thackeray, Anne; Dibble, Leland E.
• Is Part Of: Parkinsonism & related disorders. Volume 21:Issue 8(2015)
• Page Start: 960
• Page End: 963
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Parkinson's disease -- Periodicals; Movement disorders -- Periodicals; Movement Disorders -- Periodicals; Nerve Degeneration -- Periodicals; Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Parkinson Disease -- Periodicals; Tremor -- Periodicals; Parkinson, Maladie de -- Périodiques; Parkinson's disease; 616.833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2015.05.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8020

Abstract

<abstract xml:lang="en" abstract-type="author" id="abs0010"> <title id="sectitle0010">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="sectitle0015">Background</title> <p id="abspara0010">Assessment of fall risk in an individual with Parkinson disease (PD) is a critical yet often time consuming component of patient care. Recently a simple clinical prediction tool based only on fall history in the previous year, freezing of gait in the past month, and gait velocity &lt;1.1 m/s was developed and accurately predicted future falls in a sample of individuals with PD. METHODS: We sought to externally validate the utility of the tool by administering it to a different cohort of 171 individuals with PD. Falls were monitored prospectively for 6 months following predictor assessment. RESULTS: The tool accurately discriminated future fallers from non-fallers (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.83; 95% CI 0.76–0.89), comparable to the developmental study. CONCLUSION: The results validated the utility of the tool for allowing clinicians to quickly and accurately identify an individual's risk of an impending fall.</p> </sec> </abstract>