The association of white matter hyperintensity severity with gait abnormalities in individuals suffering from cerebral small vessel disease

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The study involved 335 patients with cerebral small vessel disease who had independent walking ability and were hospitalized for evaluation.
2

White matter hyperintensity severity was assessed using the Fazekas scale, categorizing patients into mild and moderate-to-severe groups.
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Patients with moderate-to-severe WMH exhibited slower gait speed, shorter stride length, and significant differences in foot-strike and toe-off angles.
4

Increased gait-parameter symmetry and variability were observed in the moderate-to-severe WMH group compared to the mild WMH group.
5

Multivariate logistic regression identified toe-off angle, swing-phase coefficient of variation, and age as independent risk factors for gait impairment.

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