Assessing Fall Risk Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Quantitative Sensory Testing

Chulalongkorn University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Fall

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06480279

COA No. 0607/2024

Details and patient eligibility

About

The elderly are at high risk of falls due to neurophysiological changes, such as motor and sensory impairment, that occur with aging. The incidence of falls in older adults is high, with approximately 30% of adults over the age of 65 falling at least once per year. Falls can lead to serious consequences such as fractures, hospitalization, and loss of independence. The changes in neurophysiology have also been found to decrease balance control in aging people, leading to postural instability. It is well-known that postural balance is influenced by sensory inputs, including touch, proprioception, vision, and vestibular, as well as motor output such as motor controls. Impairments in these systems contribute to postural instability and an increased risk of falling in the elderly.

Full description

The data collection will be arranged in the same order. Practice trials will be provided before the start of the data collection. The entire data collection session will take approximately 90 minutes. Data collection will be conducted for both the baseline and the 3-month follow-up.

The data collection will include:

1. Demographic information such as age, sex, body height, body weight, body mass index, medical history, medical diagnosis, body composition, and the MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment).
2. Neurophysiological assessments such as electromyography and Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST).
3. Functional tests such as the Timed up and go test and Chait stand test.

Enrollment: 150 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1) Male and female individuals aged 65-80 years.

Exclusion criteria

1. History of previous lower limb surgery, such as total knee replacement or ankle surgery.
2. History of a neurological disorder, such as stroke or Parkinson's disease.
3. History of vestibular disease, such as Meniere's disease.
4. History of seizures or epilepsy.
5. The presence of metal implanted devices in or around the head area
6. MoCA score < 26

Trial design

150 participants in 4 patient groups

Non-fallers

Description:

Elderly without history of fall

Fallers-low risk

Description:

Elderly with a history of falling 1 time within the last year.

Fallers-moderate risk

Description:

Elderly with a history of falling twice within the last year.

Fallers-high risk

Description:

Elderly with a history of falling \>2 times within the last year.