Gait evolution in a family with hereditary spastic paraplegia

Abstract

Background: The degree of disability in patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia has been reported variable even in members of the same family (same gene mutation). Moreover, it has been established that patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia should be treated differently from cerebral palsy patients due to the progressive nature of this disease. However, the gait evolution of hereditary spastic paraplegia showing onset symptoms at an early age has been described as stable. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the walking ability and the influence of treatments on gait evolution in a family with hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Methods: Clinical gait analyses were performed in six hereditary spastic paraplegia patients from the same family with a follow-up of 4-15 years.

Results: Based on the gait deviation index, results showed a large variation of walking ability in these patients and no statistical difference between the first and last examination. In fact, three patients have improved their gait (from childhood to adolescence) whereas three patients worsened their gait.

Conclusions: Gait alterations in a family with hereditary spastic paraplegia are heterogeneous. Gait evolution in hereditary spastic paraplegia with early symptoms had a tendency to improve gait until adolescence with adapted treatments and to decline in the adulthood.

Keywords: Evolution; Gait; Hereditary spastic paraplegia; Longitudinal study; Walking.