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Posturography in differential diagnosis of patients with enlargement of brain ventricles
- Gumed Klinika Neurochirurgii, Smoluchowskiego
- Instytut Medycyny Doświadczalnej i Klinicznej PAN
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Abstract
This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate balance disturbances by means of static posturography in patients with enlargement of the ventricular system (Evans ratio > 0.3).
Material and methodsFifty-four patients were diagnosed and treated in our Department of Neurosurgery. Thirty-six of them were qualified as patients with brain atrophy and 18 others were identified as patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Average sway radius and developed area of the posturogram were evaluated with eyes open and closed. These parameters constituted a base to calculate vision indices related to radius and area as a result of division of the difference of a given parameter (radius or area) measured with eyes closed and open by its corresponding sum.
ResultsThe sway range was significantly greater in patients with NPH in comparison to the control group. In NPH, there were no differences of sways observed with eyes open or closed – the vision indices were not statistically different from zero (vision index related to radius: −6.1 ± 18.9%, vision index related to area: −5.1 ± 34.7%). This may indicate no participation of sight in postural stability control. Values of the vision index related to radius (9.3 ± 19.4%) and to area (22.1 ± 28.2%) in the atrophy group significantly differed from zero, which indicated the participation of sight in postural stability control.
ConclusionsIntroduction of a new measure called the ‘vision index’ seems to be a promising clinical practice method of differentiation of hydrocephalus and brain atrophy.
Abstract
This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate balance disturbances by means of static posturography in patients with enlargement of the ventricular system (Evans ratio > 0.3).
Material and methodsFifty-four patients were diagnosed and treated in our Department of Neurosurgery. Thirty-six of them were qualified as patients with brain atrophy and 18 others were identified as patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Average sway radius and developed area of the posturogram were evaluated with eyes open and closed. These parameters constituted a base to calculate vision indices related to radius and area as a result of division of the difference of a given parameter (radius or area) measured with eyes closed and open by its corresponding sum.
ResultsThe sway range was significantly greater in patients with NPH in comparison to the control group. In NPH, there were no differences of sways observed with eyes open or closed – the vision indices were not statistically different from zero (vision index related to radius: −6.1 ± 18.9%, vision index related to area: −5.1 ± 34.7%). This may indicate no participation of sight in postural stability control. Values of the vision index related to radius (9.3 ± 19.4%) and to area (22.1 ± 28.2%) in the atrophy group significantly differed from zero, which indicated the participation of sight in postural stability control.
ConclusionsIntroduction of a new measure called the ‘vision index’ seems to be a promising clinical practice method of differentiation of hydrocephalus and brain atrophy.
Keywords
normal pressure hydrocephalus, atrophy, balance disturbance, posturography
Title
Posturography in differential diagnosis of patients with enlargement of brain ventricles
Journal
Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
Issue
Pages
553-559
Page views
373
Article views/downloads
563
DOI
10.5114/ninp.2012.32177
Bibliographic record
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2012;46(6):553-559.
Keywords
normal pressure hydrocephalus
atrophy
balance disturbance
posturography
Authors
Ewa Szczepek
Leszek Czerwosz
Farag Abaaslam
Jerzy Jurkiewicz
Zbigniew Czernicki