Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34527920›Full record

ArticleArchives of rheumatology2021

Postural balance and fall risk in patients with systemic sclerosis: A cross-sectional study.

Hazal Yakut, Sevgi Özalevli, Ahmet Merih Birlik

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of rheumatology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Postural stability and fall risk in systemic sclerosis patients.Turkish journal of physical medicine and rehabilitation · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Hazal YakutDepartment of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylül University, Institute of Health Sciences, Izmir, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0003-4918-9249
Sevgi ÖzalevliDokuz Eylül University, School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Izmir, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-5528-1036
Ahmet Merih BirlikDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty on Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0001-5118-9307

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aims to assess postural balance, fall risk, and the relationship of these parameters with disease-related factors in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). PATIENTS AND

methodsThirty patients with SSc (6 males, 24 females; mean age 51.1±10.6 years; range 35 to 65) and 30 healthy subjects (6 males, 24 females, mean age 52.4±8.7 years; range 35 to 65) matched for age, sex and body mass index were included in this cross-sectional study conducted between September 2018 and November 2019. Postural balance was measured with Biodex Balance SystemTM (Biodex-BS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Individuals' history of falls in the past year, functional capacity, lower limb muscles strength, pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, diffusion capacity, and dyspnea severity were evaluated.

resultsThe SSc group had postural balance impairment and a higher fall frequency than the control group. The SSc group had significantly higher sway index on postural stability (0.6±0.5), lower directional control score (42.1±8.0), and longer test duration (51.8±11.8) on limit of stability of Biodex-BS, lower BBS score (51.5±4.9), and longer test duration on TUG test (8.3±2.7) than control group (all p<0.05). Also, SSc group exhibited significantly lower functional capacity, limb muscles strength, pulmonary function, respiratory muscles strength, diffusion capacity, and higher dyspnea severity than control group (all p<0.05). The postural balance and fall frequency of SSc patients were significantly associated with functional capacity, lower limb muscles strength, pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, diffusion capacity, and dyspnea severity.

conclusionOur results suggest that postural balance impairment and fall risk should be assessed as they appear to be important problems in patients with SSc. Furthermore, assessment of functional capacity, lower limb muscles strength, and lung involvement may highlight those with postural balance impairment and higher fall risk.

Indexed as

Fall risklung involvementmuscle strengthpostural balancesystemic sclerosis

Identifiers

PMID34527920
PMCPMC8418772

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