Objective: This study investigates the association between hemoglobin levels and the manifestation of gait dysfunction in individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD).

Background: Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Anemia, a common hematological abnormality, is a significant health problem associated with reduced mobility and increased functional dependence among older and neurodegenerative disease populations. However, despite extensive research, the mechanisms underlying gait dysfunction, particularly in HD, are poorly understood.

Method: This cross-sectional retrospective cohort study evaluated the association between hemoglobin levels and gait dysfunction among individuals (N=109) diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. All the individuals were assessed for motor, behavioral, functional, and cognition function using the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS®) assessment. Gait assessment data was pulled from UHDRS®, and hemoglobin levels were obtained from routine blood testing. The normality of the continuous variable was analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk’s method. Hemoglobin associations with gait were evaluated using a simple logistic regression model.

Results: Of 109 individuals, 36 had a normal gait, 41 were males, and 68 were females, with median hemoglobin levels of 13.7 g/dl. Lower hemoglobin levels were associated with gait dysfunction, suggesting a potential link between anemia and motor function decline in HD. Patients with one unit rise of hemoglobin at baseline have odds of gait dysfunction, rather than normal gait, decreased by 42% (Odds Ratio = 0.68, [95% Confidence Interval = 0.52 – 0.89]). Additional analysis is ongoing, and results will be available during the presentation.

Conclusion: These results suggest that low hemoglobin levels may contribute to the manifestation of gait dysfunction in HD. Further, longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and assess the potential benefits of interventions targeting anemia in improving motor function in HD patients. Understanding the relationship between hemoglobin levels and gait dysfunction may have implications for developing targeted therapeutic strategies for managing motor symptoms in HD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/correlation-between-low-hemoglobin-levels-and-gait-dysfunction-in-huntingtons-disease-an-exploratory-study/