Home-based exercises with minimal oversight in Parkinson's Disease motor function: a systematic review and meta-analysis / Exercícios domiciliares com mínima assistência na função motora da Doença de Parkinson: uma revisão sistemática com meta-análise

Aims: this study aimed to present the latest available evidence on the effects of home-based exercises with minimal oversight (HBEMO) on motor function and quality of life of Parkinson's Disease (PD) subjects. Methods: in this systematic review MEDLINE (PubMed), LILACS, PEDro, EMBASE, Cochrane and Google Scholar were searched for randomized clinical trials investigating the effects of HBEMO on PD subjects. Results: four studies were included in the meta-analysis. HBEMO was almost as beneficial as conventional therapies in lowering motor impairment through Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (UPDRS-III) analysis (Mean difference = -1.70 [95%CI = -4.39 to 0.99]; I2 = 88%; p < 0,01) and improving quality of life through The Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) (Mean difference = 0.39 [95%CI = -3.41 to 4.19]; I2 = 93%; p < 0,01). Conclusions: minimally assisted home-based exercises are almost as effective as the usual care to improve motor function and quality of life of Parkinson's Disease subjects.

Objetivos: este estudo teve como objetivo apresentar as últimas evidências disponíveis sobre os efeitos de exercícios domiciliares com mínima supervisão na função motora e na qualidade de vida de indivíduos com doença de Parkinson. Métodos: nesta revisão sistemática foram pesquisados ensaios clínicos randomizados investigando os efeitos de exercícios domiciliares em indivíduos com doença de Parkinson nas bases de dados MEDLINE (PubMed), LILACS, PEDro, EMBASE, Cochrane e Google Scholar. Resultados: quatro estudos foram incluídos na meta-análise. O exercício domiciliar com supervisão mínima foi quase tão benéfico quanto as terapias convencionais na redução do comprometimento motor por meio da análise da Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (UPDRS-III) (diferença média = -1.70 [95%IC = -4.39 a 0.99]; I2 = 88%; p < 0,01) e melhoria da qualidade de vida por meio do Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) (diferença média = 0.39 [95%IC = -3.41 a 4.19]; I2 = 93%; p < 0,01). Conclusões: a fisioterapia domiciliar com supervisão mínima é quase tão eficaz quanto as terapias convencionais para melhorar a função motora e a qualidade de vida da doença de Parkinson.

Upper limbs cycle ergometer increases muscle strength, trunk control and independence of acute stroke subjects: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Studies demonstrate the benefits of upper limbs cycle ergometer (ULCE) in subacute and chronic stroke subjects, but the literature still needs to explore the acute phase of the disease. OBJECTIVE: Verify the effects of ULCE on muscular strength, trunk control and independence of post-stroke subjects in hospital acute phase. METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial participants were allocated into two groups. The control group (CG) performed two daily sessions of conventional physiotherapy, while the intervention group (IG) had one daily session of conventional physiotherapy and one of ULCE. The interventions were carried out for 20 minutes for five days. Both groups were assessed before and after the treatment for upper limbs strength by manual dynamometer, trunk control by Trunk Impairment Scale and level of independence by the Modified Rankin Scale. RESULTS: Twenty subjects with mean ages of 63.5±4.5 were enrolled. There was a significant intra-group difference of palmar grip, shoulder abductors, elbow flexor and wrist extensor strength, trunk control and functional independence only in IG. Inter-group difference for all variables showed superiority in IG. CONCLUSIONS: ULCE is an effective device for increasing muscle strength, trunk control and consequently improving the independence of post-stroke subjects in the acute hospital phase.

Effects of aerobic cycling training on mobility and functionality of acute stroke subjects: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Studies demonstrate the benefits of aerobic cycling training in subacute and chronic stroke subjects, but there is a lack in the literature about its effects on the acute phase. OBJECTIVE: Verify the effects of aerobic cycling training on lower limbs muscle strength, gait speed, balance, mobility and functionality of acute stroke subjects. METHODS: Control group (CG) performed conventional physiotherapy twice a day and the intervention group (IG) performed a conventional physiotherapy and a cycle ergometer session, for five consecutive days. Subjects were assessed for muscle strength by a digital dynamometer, gait speed by the 10-meter-walk-test, balance by the Berg Balance Scale, mobility by the ICU-Mobility-Scale and functionality by the Perme Score. RESULTS: Twenty subjects were enrolled in the study, 10 in the CG and 10 in the IG. Lower limbs muscle strength, the main endpoint, was better in the IG compared to the CG. The same was found in the secondary endpoints. The intragroup analysis was also positive for the CG in the mobility and functionality. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional physiotherapy combined with cycling exercise showed better results in the improvement of muscle strength of lower limbs, mobility and functionality of subjects who suffered from acute stroke.

Is the dopaminergic loss associated with gait and postural impairments in subjects with Parkinson's disease at different motor stages?

Gait and postural control deficiencies in Parkinson's disease (PD) involve several specific motor aspects. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the main changes in gait kinematics and postural control with dopaminergic loss in the striatum region. This is a cross-sectional study that included 42 individuals with PD at different motor stages, according to the Hoehn & Yahr scale (H&Y). Motor subsection of the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale-part III (MDS-UPDRS III) was used to evaluate general motor aspects. Gait kinematics was assessed using a three-dimensional motion capture system. Postural control was assessed by stabilometry using force platforms. Dopamine depletion was verified through 99mTc-TRODAT-1 (SPECT-CT) examination. We included 12, 15 and 15 individuals classified as H&Y I, II and III, respectively. We identified worse values of dopamine transporter uptake, MDS-UPDRS III, gait parameters (velocity, step length and stride length) and center of pressure displacement as the disease progressed. Our results indicate that higher dopaminergic loss and gait and postural control deficits occur between the H&Y levels II and III.

Impairments in gait kinematics and postural control may not correlate with dopamine transporter depletion in individuals with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter involved in regulating movement. Nuclear medicine imaging methods such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) combined with radiotracers can obtain the density of this neurotransmitter. This reduced density leads to classic PD symptoms, such as bradykinesia, tremor and stiffness, consequently affecting walking and postural control. The aim of this study was to verify the correlation between disorders of gait kinematics and postural instability with dopamine depletion in individuals with mild to moderate PD. This is a descriptive, observational cross-sectional study. Subjects were assessed for spatiotemporal gait parameters by a three-dimensional motion capture system, for postural control by stabilometry on a force plate. Dopamine depletion was verified through 99mTc-TRODAT-1 (SPECT-CT) examination. The subjects were in the off-stage of levodopa in all analysis. We evaluated 71 individuals, 32 with mild to moderate PD (HY 2 and 2.5) and 39 healthy individuals matched for gender, age, and height. There was a significant difference between the groups regarding the spatiotemporal variables of gait, as well as in the stabilometric variables. However, there was no correlation between these disturbances and the uptake values of 99mTc-TRODAT-1. The results indicate that there is no correlation between gait impairments and postural instability of individuals with mild to moderate PD and the dopaminergic depletion measured through the 99mTc-TRODAT-1 (SPECT-CT).