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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Cecilia Jimenez MorenoORCiD, Libby Wood, Professor Hanns Lochmuller
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
© 2017 Elsevier B.V. Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 multisystem involvement leads to functional impairment with an increased risk of falling. This multinational study estimates the prevalence of falls and fall-associated fractures. A web-based survey among disease-specific registries (Germany, UK and The Netherlands) was carried out among DM1 ambulant adults with a total of 573 responses retrieved. Results provided a risk ratio estimation of 30%-72% for falls and of 11%-17% for associated fractures. There was no significant difference for falls between male and female, but there was for fall-related fractures with a higher prevalence in women. Balance and leg weakness were the most commonly reported causes for falling. This study is based on a voluntary retrospective survey with naturally inherent limitations; however, the sample size allows for robust comparisons. The estimated risk of falls in this cohort with a mean age of 46 years compares to a previous estimation for a healthy population of over 65 years of age. These results suggest a premature-ageing DM1 phenotype with an increased risk of falling depending on age and disease severity that, so far, might have been underestimated. This may have clinical implications for the development of care guidelines and when testing new interventions in this population.
Author(s): Jimenez-Moreno AC, Raaphorst J, Babacic H, Wood L, van Engelen B, Lochmuller H, Schoser B, Wenninger S
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Neuromuscular Disorders
Year: 2018
Volume: 28
Issue: 3
Pages: 229-235
Print publication date: 01/03/2018
Online publication date: 27/12/2017
Acceptance date: 20/12/2017
Date deposited: 29/01/2018
ISSN (print): 0960-8966
ISSN (electronic): 1873-2364
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nmd.2017.12.010
DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2017.12.010
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