Balance Deficits in COPD; A Delineation Between the Aging Process and Disease
Advisor Information
Jennifer Yentes
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-3-2016 2:30 PM
End Date
4-3-2016 4:00 PM
Abstract
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience balance deficits, likely due to severe skeletal muscle changes associated with the disease, resulting in higher incidence of falls. Further, balance deficits are attributed to the aging process and research regarding balance in COPD has focused on older patients with COPD. Our purpose was to provide delineation between the presence of disease and the aging process by investigating balance in both young and older patients with COPD. We hypothesized that presence of disease would cause balance deficits at a younger age. Seven patients with COPD (4≥65yrs: 74.8+6.4yrs; 3≤65yrs: 56.3+6.8yrs) and 19 controls (5≥65yrs: 70.8+6.4yrs; 14≤65yrs: 55.7+6.0yrs) performed a series of balance measures: sensory organization test (SOT), motor control test (MCT), modified falls efficacy scale (mFES), Fullerton advanced balance scale (FAB), timed up and go (TUG), and activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale. ANOVA results demonstrated a main effect for SOT (p=0.011), MCT (p=0.015), mFES (p=0.006), FAB (p<0.001), ABC (p=0.036), and no effect for the TUG (p=0.054). Contrary to our hypothesis, young COPD were not significantly different than the control groups. However they performed worse on the SOT, MCT, TUG, and ABC than both control groups. Scores for balance tests progressively declined in the older COPD group and demonstrated a significant deficit from young controls. With a larger sample size, young COPD may be significantly different from controls. Therefore, providing balance training as an early intervention to younger adults could plausibly decrease incidence of falls in older COPD populations.
Balance Deficits in COPD; A Delineation Between the Aging Process and Disease
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience balance deficits, likely due to severe skeletal muscle changes associated with the disease, resulting in higher incidence of falls. Further, balance deficits are attributed to the aging process and research regarding balance in COPD has focused on older patients with COPD. Our purpose was to provide delineation between the presence of disease and the aging process by investigating balance in both young and older patients with COPD. We hypothesized that presence of disease would cause balance deficits at a younger age. Seven patients with COPD (4≥65yrs: 74.8+6.4yrs; 3≤65yrs: 56.3+6.8yrs) and 19 controls (5≥65yrs: 70.8+6.4yrs; 14≤65yrs: 55.7+6.0yrs) performed a series of balance measures: sensory organization test (SOT), motor control test (MCT), modified falls efficacy scale (mFES), Fullerton advanced balance scale (FAB), timed up and go (TUG), and activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale. ANOVA results demonstrated a main effect for SOT (p=0.011), MCT (p=0.015), mFES (p=0.006), FAB (p<0.001), ABC (p=0.036), and no effect for the TUG (p=0.054). Contrary to our hypothesis, young COPD were not significantly different than the control groups. However they performed worse on the SOT, MCT, TUG, and ABC than both control groups. Scores for balance tests progressively declined in the older COPD group and demonstrated a significant deficit from young controls. With a larger sample size, young COPD may be significantly different from controls. Therefore, providing balance training as an early intervention to younger adults could plausibly decrease incidence of falls in older COPD populations.