The Timed up and Go Test as a Diagnostic Criterion in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

• Published in: World neurosurgery 2017-09, Vol.105, p.456-461
• Main Authors: Silva Mendes, Gabriel André, Fernandes de Oliveira, Matheus, Gomes Pinto, Fernando Campos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Case-Control Studies; Diagnostic; Female; Gait apraxia; Humans; Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure - diagnosis; Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure - physiopathology; Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure - surgery; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Mental Status Schedule; Middle Aged; Movement - physiology; Neurosurgery; Normal-pressure hydrocephalus; Postural Balance - physiology; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; ROC Curve; Severity of Illness Index; Ventriculoperitoneal shunt; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt - methods
• ISSN: 1878-8750; 1878-8769
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2017.05.137

Abstract Introduction Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) is a disease characterized by gait disturbance, urinary incontinence and dementia. Our objectives were to define an average value of the test for the population, check the specificity and test sensitivity as evaluation criteria and diagnostic testing and correlate with other already used more frequently. Methods A study conducted at the Neurosurgery Division of the Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual de São Paulo in which a group of 30 patients with PNH was submitted to the Mini Mental State Test Examination, Time Up and Go (TUG) and Japanese scale for NPH, prior to the Tap Test 3 hours and 72 hours after the Tap Test. After being subjected to Ventriculoperitoneal shunt, patients were evaluated 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after surgery. A control group was used composed of 30 individuals of the same age and who had no diagnosis of NPH, which were submitted to the TUG test for determining an average which was compared to that of patients with NPH. Results TUG did not show good correlation with other tests used, but there was excellent specificity (0.967) and sensitivity (0.933) for cutoff value of 16.5 seconds for the diagnosis of NPH. Conclusion TUG is a good test for the diagnosis of NPH since there is very good specificity and sensitivity, with a mean value of 16.5 seconds as cutoff.