Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40524262›Full record

ArticleNeurological research and practice2025

Instrument-supported gait analysis characterizes gait domain changes in patients with suspected normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Carolin Semmler, Veronika Wunderle, Taylan D Kuzu, Oezguer A Onur, Christian Grefkes, Michael T Barbe, Gereon R Fink, Peter H Weiss

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurological research and practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

8 authors.

Carolin Semmler *Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. carolin.semmler@uk-koeln.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5784-0735
Veronika Wunderle *Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. veronika.wunderle@uk-koeln.de.
Taylan D KuzuFaculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Oezguer A OnurFaculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Christian GrefkesDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt (Main), Germany.
Michael T BarbeFaculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Gereon R FinkFaculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Peter H WeissFaculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 431549029 - SFB 1451Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 456732630 - GRK 2783
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIdiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a potentially reversible cause of cognitive impairment, urinary incontinence, and gait disturbances, which typically present with a characteristic slow, shuffling, and wide-based gait. Gait velocity, which is reduced relative to healthy controls, improves in iNPH patients following a spinal tap test. This study aimed at evaluating the criterion of a 20% gait velocity improvement in the 10 m walk test to identify responders and non-responders in a cohort of patients with probable iNPH receiving a spinal tap test as well as the added value of instrument-supported gait analysis.

methodsWe assessed pace, rhythm, variability, postural control, and force in 59 patients with clinically suspected iNPH undergoing a spinal tap test, applying the 10 m walk test and an instrument-supported gait analysis. The change in gait velocity assessed in the 10 m walk test was used to differentiate patients with a positive response to the spinal tap (> 20% improvement, responders) from those with no relevant response (< 20% improvement, non-responders). Group differences were analyzed using chi-square tests, independent sample t-tests, Mann-Whitney-U tests and repeated measure ANOVAs.

resultsUnlike non-responders (n = 39), responders (n = 20) showed significant changes in the gait domain pace in the 10 m walk test. Moreover, instrument-supported gait analyses revealed additional improvements in the gait domains variability, rhythm, postural control and force in responders only.

interpretationThis study confirmed the clinical utility of the 20% gait velocity improvement criterion for differentiating responders and non-responders in a cohort of patients with mostly probable iNPH, in whom clinical parameters alone were insufficient for classification. Notably, instrument-supported gait analysis validated this criterion by providing a more comprehensive characterization of gait disturbances compared to the 10 m walk test. However, further-especially longitudinal-studies are needed to reveal the full potential of the instrument-supported gait analysis in patients with (early/probable) iNPH.

Indexed as

Center of forceCenter of pressureGround reaction forceiNPHKinetics

Identifiers

PMID40524262
PMCPMC12168308

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.