ABSTRACT
Introduction: Children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP), GMFCS IV-V, are considered dependent individuals requiring long-term care by their families due to significant motor function limitations that prevent them from performing basic and instrumental activities of daily life. The task of taking care of another person implies excess work and the development of health-related quality of life problems for informal primary caregivers due to physical and emotional burden. Strategies used for improving health-related quality of life of caregivers include self-care practices. Objective: To describe self-care practices and their effect on health-related quality of life in individuals taking care of 0 to 20 year-old children and adolescents with GMFCS IV-V CP. Method: A systematic review, including clinical trials and cohort studies with informal primary caregivers of 0 to 20 year-old children and adolescents with GMFCS IV-V CP, assessing self-care practices for improving life quality of caregivers. Results: No studies were found in compliance with the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: No conclusive evidence was found describing self-care practices and their effect on health-related quality of life problems for caregivers of 0 to 20 year-old children and adolescents with GMFCS IV-V CP. It is necessary to carry out high-quality methodological studies on this topic.
Introducción: Los niños y adolescentes con parálisis cerebral (PC), GMFCS IV-V, son considerados como individuos dependientes, que requieren de cuidados de larga duración por parte de las familias debido a que presentan importantes limitaciones motoras que les impiden realizar actividades básicas e instrumentales de la vida diaria. La tarea de cuidar a otro, supone un exceso de trabajo generando la aparición de problemas en la calidad de vida asociados a la salud (CVRS) de los cuidadores primarios informales a raíz de la sobrecarga física y emocional. Dentro de las estrategias que se utilizan para mejorar la calidad de vida asociada a la salud en éstos, se incluye el autocuidado y sus distintas prácticas. Objetivo: Describir las prácticas de autocuidado y su efecto en la CVRS de los cuidadores de niños y adolescentes con PC de 0-20 años de edad, clasificación GMFCS IV-V. Método: Revisión sistemática. Se incluyeron ensayos clínicos y cohortes cuya población estuviera constituida por cuidadores primarios informales de niños y adolescentes con PC de 0-20 años de edad, clasificación GMFCS IV-V y que evaluarán prácticas de autocuidado para mejorar la calidad de vida asociada a la salud de éstos. Resultados: No se obtuvieron estudios que cumplieran los criterios de inclusión. Conclusiones: No se encontró evidencia concluyente que describiera las prácticas de autocuidado y su efecto en la CVRS de los cuidadores de niños y adolescentes con PC de 0-20 años de edad, clasificación GMFCS IV-V. Es necesario realizar estudios de buena calidad metodológica respecto de este tema.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant, Newborn , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Quality of Life , Self Care , Cerebral Palsy , Caregivers/psychologyABSTRACT
There is a critical need for new therapeutic strategies to restore motor function in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCIs), without unwanted effects. Intermittent hypoxia (IH) induces plasticity in spared synaptic pathways to motor neurons below the level of injury, which can be harnessed to elicit motor recovery in incomplete SCI patients. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding the effects of IH on memory function. The aim of this study was to assess episodic verbal and visual memory function with the Complutense verbal learning test (TAVEC) and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF), respectively, before and after a 4-week protocol of repetitive IH combined with body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) in incomplete ASIA C and D SCI subjects. Subjects received either IH (cycling 9%/21% FiO2 every 1.5 min, 15 cycles per day) or continued normoxia (Nx, 21% FiO2) combined with 45 min of BWSTT for 5 consecutive days, followed by 3 times per week IH and BWSTT for 3 additional weeks. ROCF Z scores between IH plus BWSTT and Nx plus BWSTT were not significantly different (p = .43). Compared with baseline, IH and BWSTT group showed a significantly greater (p < .05) verbal memory performance for immediate, short-term, and long-term recall; however, it was not different from Nx plus BWSTT group in all verbal memory components (p > .05). Our results suggest that a 4-week protocol of moderate IH does not elicit visual or verbal memory impairment. Thus, repetitive IH may be a safe therapeutic approach to incomplete spinal cord injury patients, without deleterious cognitive effects.
