This study was aimed at (1) determining the risk of falls in patients with chronic dizziness/vertigo using the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, and (2) investigating the correlations and agreements among the measurements results of assessment by the aforementioned methods in these patients.
A total of 52 patients with dizziness/vertigo were included in the study, and the risk of falls in these patients was evaluated by the TUG, DGI, FGA, and ABC scale. We analyzed the correlations and agreements in the fall risk assessed by the aforementioned methods using Spearman's rank correlation and kappa statistics.
Of the 52 patients, 11 (21.2%), 26 (50%), 29 (55.8%), and 18 (34.6%) patients were assessed as being at a risk of falls by the TUG, DGI, FGA, and ABC scale, respectively. The results of the assessments by the above methods showed significant good correlations and agreement. However, the kappa coefficients for some results were low (TUG-DGI: k=0.423, TUG-FGA: k=0.351, TUG-ABC scale: k=0.299, DGI-FGA: k=0.885, DGI-ABC scale: k=0.385, and FGA-ABC scale: k=0.294).
Risk factors for falls in patients with dizziness and vertigo include disturbances of psychological balance and gait. Multiple methods to assess the fall risk may yield more accurate results than assessment by one method alone.
