Application of a Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) in Friedreich's ataxia patients according to posturography is limited

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences Vol. 341; no. 1; pp. 64 - 67
• Main Authors: Schwabova, J, Maly, T, Laczo, J, Zumrova, A, Komarek, V, Musova, Z, Zahalka, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.06.2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Ataxins; Autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia; Child; Clinical rating scale; FARS; Female; Friedreich Ataxia - diagnosis; Friedreich Ataxia - genetics; Friedreich Ataxia - physiopathology; Friedreich's ataxia; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Tissue Proteins - genetics; Neurology; Postural Balance - physiology; Posture - physiology; Posturography; SARA; Severity of Illness Index; Statistics, Nonparametric; Young Adult; Friedreich's ataxia; Posturography; Clinical rating scale; SARA; FARS; Autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2014.04.001

Abstract Background A scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) was developed for evaluation of autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias (ADCA) and was also recommended for clinical trials of Friedreich's ataxia patients (FRDA). FRDA, unlike ADCA, is characterized as being a sensory type of ataxia for which the disease-specific Friedreich ataxia rating scale (FARS) was developed. The objective of this study was to determine whether SARA and FARS scores are associated with posturographic parameters in FRDA patients. Method Adult patients with genetically confirmed FRDA ( n = 11) and ADCA ( n = 13) were evaluated by SARA, FARS and posturography. Results FRDA patients' postural stability parameters, in stance with visual control, correlated with balance impairment in FARS ( r = 0.622; p < 0.05) and SARA ( r = 0.735; p < 0.05). Without visual control, only FARS correlated with balance impairment ( r = 0.732; p < 0.05). Conclusion The SARA, in FRDA patients, correlates with stance with visual control but not without visual control which emphasizes sensory ataxia. This suggests that application of the SARA in Friedreich's ataxia patients according to posturography is possible but presumably limited and FARS, although being a more time consuming scale, may have advantages over SARA in FRDA patients.