Clinical Measures of Dual Task Gait Evaluation in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus - A Mini-review

Background: Cognitive and motor deficits intertwined with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) alter walking patterns of the individuals. As walking is combined with various challenging cognitive tasks in daily activities, dual task testing is a promising avenue for gait evaluation and fall prediction in various conditions. However, there is a lack of clarity on the appropriate clinical measures for dual task gait evaluation in T2DM individuals.

Objective: The present study aims to review and identify the appropriate clinical measures for dual task gait evaluation in T2DM.

Methods: Electronic databases of PubMed, CINAHLPlus and scholarly platforms were searched to identify the relevant articles. Review has included studies which have subjects with T2DM, dual task testing as a part of evaluation, has used clinical measures to assess dual task gait and was available in English.

Results: 16 articles met the inclusión criteria. Four studies used cognitive timed up and go test (TUG), four studies used walking while talking test; one study used extended TUG; one study used walking and remembering test;one study used instrumented TUG along with manual TUG and arithmetic subtractions; two studies used inertial sensors for gait evaluation along with backword counting; one study used two dimensional video analysis for gait along with verbal fluency task and calculation; one study used TUG with arithmetic additions task; one study used Manual TUG and arithmetic subtraction task while walking on GAITRITE walkway.

Conclusion: The studies show a lack of valid and reliable clinical measures for dual task gait evaluation in T2DM.