Causes of ataxia in patients attending a falls laboratory.

The relationship of a range of clinical variables to balance was investigated in a group of 121 elderly patients giving a history of falls. Information collected included a clinical history and physical examination, and an evaluation of position sense, vibration sense and vestibular function. Postural changes in blood pressure were measured on a tilt-table, and sway was quantified on an ataxiameter. There was a statistically significant relationship between leg power, visual acuity, posture sense and mental function and sway, and a weaker positive association between a variety of other factors and sway. When factors showing a positive association with sway were used to construct a 'pathology' scene for each patient, it emerged that there was a statistically significant correlation between scores and ataxiameter readings. This suggests that, in the elderly, ataxia is usually the result of multiple factors.