Gait speed or gait variability, which one to use as a marker of risk to develop XXXX ? A pilot study.

@entity1 @entity73 @entity195
BACKGROUND: Previous literature demonstrates the interest of gait analysis to predict @entity73 in old @entity1 . AIMS: This pilot study aims to determine if gait speed or gait variability is a marker able to early identify, among @entity73 ( @entity73 ) subjects, those at risk to develop @entity195 (AD) in the future. METHODS: 13 @entity73 subjects were included in 2007. Their gait parameters (walking speed, stride length and gait frequency, regularity and symmetry) were measured in 2007 and 2008 in simple task (ST) and in dual task (DT) using a triaxial accelerometer (Locometrix(  )). Among the 13 @entity73 subjects included in 2007, 10 were assessed in 2008. So, 23 (13 in 2007  +  10 in 2008) gait tests were collected. In 2011, @entity73 @entity1 were considered as " @entity73 +" when they developed AD (between baseline and 2011) and as " @entity73 -" if they did not. Among the 23 gait tests, 15 were from @entity73 + (9 gait tests in 2007 and 6 in 2008) and 8 from @entity73 - (4 gait tests in 2007 and 4 gait tests in 2008). Mann-Whitney non-parametric U test was used to compare gait parameters of @entity73 + and @entity73 -. RESULTS: Gait speed, symmetry and regularity were lower in @entity73 + than in @entity73 -. DISCUSSION: Despite the small sample size, the results presented in this original pilot study are in line as the infrequent previous literature related to this topic. The authors discuss lacks and strengths of this work. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that both gait speed and gait variability could be markers to early identify @entity73 at risk to develop AD.
