Session Information
Date: Thursday, June 23, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Clinical trials, pharmacology and treatment
Session Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To assess the feasibility, safety and effects of an group intervention based on European Physiotherapy Guideline.
Background: Studies suggest that exercise may contribute to the improvement on physical function, quality of life, strength, balance and walk speed on PD. European Physiotherapy Guideline for Parkinson´s disease (EPG) was developed, but its feasibility, safety and effects have not been verified yet.
Methods: 10 individuals with idiopathic PD on stages 1 to 2.5 of Hoehn & Yahr scale, both genders, mean age of 63.80 (10.47), mean score of 19.0 (5.24) on section III of Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale and 27.0 (2.0) on Mini-Mental State Examination participated of this study. The intervention based on EPG was performed in group during the on period of dopaminergic replacement. Patients participated of 14 sessions of one hour, twice a week, during 7 weeks. Interventions contained specific strategies according with the stages of the disease, including external cues and cognitive strategies. Feasibility and safety outcomes were patient adherence (PA) and the adverse events during the procedure, respectively. The effect was assessed through Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (MBT), PD Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Evaluations were performed before, after and one month after the intervention. It was carried out descriptive statistical analysis [mean (SD) and mean difference (SD) [95% CI] among the assessment.
Results: 70% (7) of patients completed the intervention. Two patients could not complete the intervention due transport problems and one due back pain. The only adverse event during the intervention was back pain of one patient who had previous history of this problem.
| Pre intervention Mean (SD) | Post intervention Mean (SD) | Follow up Mean (SD) | mean difference [95% CI] between Pre and Post intervention | mean difference [95% CI] between post intervention and follow up | |
| MBT | 23.71 (2.92) | 24.57 (4.03) | 25.85 (4.01) | 0.85 [-3.65 – 5.36] | 1.28 [-4.33 – 6.90] |
| PDQ-39 | 35.71 (7.94) | 26.64 (9.25) | 26.64 (13.23) | 9.06 [0.67 – 17.46] | 0.0 [-8.98 – 8.98] |
| MoCA | 21.28 (4.53) | 23.57 (5.53) | 23.42 (4.54) | 2.28 [-1.07 – 5.65] | 0.14 [-2.02 – 1.73] |
Conclusions: EPG performed in group was feasible for people with PD at the early stages of the disease. There was no adverse event related to the intervention, except for one patient that had back pain before the study. It is necessary better investigation about the safety to apply this protocol in patients with history of back pain. New studies with larger sample size including patients in moderates stages are necessaries in order to verify the effects of the intervention.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
J.E. Pompeu, T.B. Freitas, R.A. Nuvolini, K.G. Silva, F. Doná, R.A. Andreotti, N.A. Mazzini, M.G.R. Almeida, C. Torriani-Pasin. Feasibility, safety and effects of a group intervention based on European physiotherapy guideline for Parkinson´s disease [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/feasibility-safety-and-effects-of-a-group-intervention-based-on-european-physiotherapy-guideline-for-parkinsons-disease/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/feasibility-safety-and-effects-of-a-group-intervention-based-on-european-physiotherapy-guideline-for-parkinsons-disease/