HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jnnp.2006.091322v1 jnnp.2006.091322v2 77/12/1367    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Abdo, W F Articles by Bloem, B R Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Abdo, W F Articles by Bloem, B R Topic Collections Related Article

Ten steps to identify atypical parkinsonism

¹ Department of Neurology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
² Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre
³ Laboratory of Paediatrics and Neurology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
B R Bloem
Parkinson Centre Nijmegen, Institute of Neurology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; b.bloem{at}neuro.umcn.nl

ABSTRACT
Background: Balance impairment is a frequently encountered problem in patients with Parkinson’s disease. A profound balance disorder, however, is an atypical feature.

Methods: Tandem gait performance (10 consecutive tandem steps) was judged in 36 consecutive patients with Parkinson’s disease and 49 consecutive patients with atypical parkinsonism.

Results: Only 9 (18%) patients with atypical parkinsonism had a fully normal tandem gait (not a single side step) as opposed to 33 (92%) patients with Parkinson’s disease. Analysis for the subgroup of patients with a disease duration of <3 years yielded the same diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions: Tandem gait performance has a good diagnostic ability to differentiate patients with atypical parkinsonism from those with Parkinson’s disease, and might be used as an additional "red flag" to assist existing clinical tests in identifying atypical parkinsonism.

Abbreviations: MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; PIGD, postural instability and gait disability; PSP, progressive supranuclear palsy; SPECT, single photon emission computed tomography

Related Article

Ten steps to identify atypical parkinsonism

D J Burn
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2006 77: 1299. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Distinguishing Atypical Parkinsonism from Parkinson Disease Journal Watch Neurology, May 1, 2007; 2007(501): 2 - 2. [Full Text]

				D J Burn Ten steps to identify atypical parkinsonism. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, December 1, 2006; 77(12): 1299 - 1299. [Full Text] [PDF]