Usefulness of Motor Control Test (MCT) to Evaluate Balance Function in Diabetic Patients with Neuropathy

Park, Hyun Min; Kim, Han Gyun; Hyun, Min Hwan; Kim, Sang Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is important to adequately estimate the functional handicap of the patient with polyneuropathy. Computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) can be utilized in those patients to evaluate balance performance. But, so far, the majority of data are about sensory organization test (SOT) and the efficacy of motor control test (MCT) is not established. We performed this study in an attempt to estimate balance function in diabetic neuropathy patients using MCT, thereby confirm the usefulness of MCT in evaluating balance ability.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Seventeen diabetic neuropathy patients (DM-NP), 9 non-neuropathy diabetic patients (DM-nonNP), and 22 non-diabetic normal persons as controls (nonDM) were included in this study. Postural responses to horizontal translation were assessed according to the MCT paradigm. The results were compared with the sway energy obtained during toes-up or toes-down perturbation.
RESULTS
Latencies of backward translation were prolonged in DM-NP but not in DM-nonNP. Latencies of forward translation were prolonged both in DM-NP and DM-nonNP. No definite correlation could be drawn between the MCT and EMG latencies. DM-NP showed increased sway energy in toes-up and toes-down perturbation. MCT latencies and sway energy in perturbation showed significant correlation.
CONCLUSION
MCT proved to be useful in evaluating balance performance in the patients with defective postural response as in diabetic neuropathy.