To evaluate the relationship between white matter hyperintensity (WMH) severity and gait among patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).
Approach:
Study Design: Enrolled 335 patients with CSVD who had independent walking ability, hospitalized between August 2018 and May 2021.
WMH Assessment: WMH severity was assessed using the Fazekas scale, categorizing participants into mild or moderate-to-severe WMH groups.
Gait Analysis: A wearable gait analysis system evaluated the effect of WMH severity on walking ability.
Key Findings:
Patients with moderate-to-severe WMH demonstrated slower gait speed, shorter stride length, and diminished foot-strike and toe-off angles compared to the mild WMH group (p < 0.05).
Gait-parameter symmetry and variability were significantly increased in the moderate-to-severe WMH group (p < 0.05).
Toe-off angle, swing-phase coefficient of variation, and age were identified as independent risk factors for WMH-induced gait impairment.
Interpretation:
White matter lesion severity influences gait in patients with small vessel disease, affecting spatiotemporal and kinematic measures, symmetry, and variability.
Limitations:
Study population limited to hospitalized patients, which may not represent the broader CSVD population.
Potential confounding factors not fully controlled for, such as medications affecting gait.
Conclusion:
WMH severity is associated with gait impairment in patients with CSVD.
