Influence of vascular risk factors on postural stability in a community-dwelling population: Results from the Iwaki health promotion project

Abstract

Background: Dizziness and balance dysfunction are common complaints associated with falls. The mechanisms of postural instability are complex and multifactorial and have not yet been fully elucidated. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between postural stability and vascular risk factors. Methods: The subjects of this study were 1037 volunteers (401 men, 636 women) who had participated in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project. We evaluated the postural stability of the subjects by static posturography and assessed the effects of vascular risk factors on the sway length. Results: In both men and women, the age and blood hemoglobin A 1 c level were found to be significantly related to the sway length. In postmenopausal women, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was also significantly associated with the sway length. Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that arteriosclerosis and diabetes affected postural stability. In addition, rapid deterioration of arteriosclerosis due to menopause could also be associated with deterioration of postural stability.