Measures used for the evaluation of balance in individuals with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

[Purpose] The present literature review was conducted on the use of different measures for the evaluation of balance in patients with Parkinson's disease. [Materials and Methods] The PubMed, Bireme, SciELO, Lilacs, and PEDro electronic databases were searched for relevant studies. [Results] The searches initially led to the retrieval of 3,623 articles, 540 of which were potentially eligible after limiting the search to clinical trials published in the last five years. A total of 264 duplicates were removed, and 276 articles were excluded based on their titles and abstracts. The full texts of 84 articles were analyzed, and only those with a PEDro score higher than four points (n=25) were included in the review. [Conclusion] Different methods, such as scales, tests, and equipment, are used for the evaluation of balance in patients with Parkinson's disease. More than one measure has been employed in most studies, and there is no consensus on a single precise measure for the evaluation of balance in this population.