Article

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of inpatient intervention for people with
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), and to identify whether improvements gained were
sustained postdischarge. This retrospective observational cohort study
comprised people with FRDA admitted to inpatient rehabilitation. SETTING: All
participants in the study were referred by a specialist multidisciplinary FRDA
clinic to inpatient rehabilitation. PARTICIPANTS: From 2003 until 2010, people
(N=29; men, n=17; women, n=12) with FRDA were admitted to rehabilitation,
representing 42 admissions. On admission, 9 participants were ambulant and 33
participants were nonambulant. INTERVENTIONS: Each participant was prescribed
goal-related therapy on an individual basis by the multidisciplinary team, and
this consisted of a range of treatment approaches. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The FIM
was used to determine the efficacy of inpatient rehabilitation. RESULTS:
Consistent with the progressive nature of the condition, FIM scores, as measured
on an annual basis preintervention, declined over time. However, FIM scores
increased by a mean of 8.5 points during periods of inpatient rehabilitation and
continued to increase by a mean of 2.0 points during the period immediately after
rehabilitation. Results demonstrate these increases during and immediately after
inpatient rehabilitation were significant (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: To the best of
our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence that a period of inpatient
rehabilitation reverses or halts the downward decline in function for people with
FRDA. The benefits from this intervention continued during the period immediately
after inpatient rehabilitation, indicating that these gains are more than just
short-term achievements. Further exploration of intensity, type, and length of
rehabilitation is required to ensure that the most appropriate rehabilitation is provided.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS