Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a rare group of hereditary degenerative disorders with major symptoms such as unsteady gait, dysarthria, and finger-nose instability. At present, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a widely utilized balance assessment tool for SCA patients, exhibiting high reliability. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether the Semans Scale and the Balance Coordination Test can also be utilized for balance assessment in SCA patients. Methods: A total of 32 patients with SCA who had been diagnosed according to previously reported molecular criteria were recruited between 2021 and 2022. In addition, all patients completed assessments for all three scales. Results: The results of the study demonstrated a moderate positive correlation between the BBS and both the Semans Scale and Balance Coordination Test scores (BBS versus Semans: r = 0.568, p < 0.001; BBS versus Balance Coordination Test: r = 0.625, p < 0.001). However, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed statistically significant differences between BBS and both Semans Scores (Z = –2.955, p = 0.003) and Balance Coordination Test scores (Z = –3.666, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The Semans Scale and Balance Coordination Test reflect the balance function of SCA patients to a certain extent and can be used as valid complements to the BBS, providing additional information for clinical treatment and rehabilitation.
Ye et al. (Mon,) studied this question.