Article

Dual-task (DT) training is gaining ground as a physical therapy
intervention in people with Parkinson disease (PD).
Future studies evaluating the
effect of such interventions need reliable outcome measures. To date, the
test-retest reliability of DT measures in patients with PD remains largely
unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of DT
outcome measures in patients with PD. DESIGN: A repeated-measures design was
used. METHODS: Patients with PD ("on" medication, Mini-Mental State Examination
score >/=24) performed 2 cognitive tasks (ie, backward digit span task and
auditory Stroop task) and 1 functional task (ie, mobile phone task) in
combination with walking. Tasks were assessed at 2 time points (same hour) with
an interval of 6 weeks. Test-retest reliability was assessed for gait while
performing each secondary task (DT gait) for both cognitive tasks while walking
(DT cognitive) and for the functional task while walking (DT functional).
RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with PD (age=39-89 years, Hoehn and Yahr stages
II-III) were included in the study. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs)
showed excellent reliability for DT gait measures, ranging between .86 and .95
when combined with the digit span task, between .86 and .95 when combined with
the auditory Stroop task, and between .72 and .90 when combined with the mobile
phone task. The standard error of measurements for DT gait speed varied between
0.06 and 0.08 m/s, leading to minimal detectable changes between 0.16 and 0.22
m/s. With regard to DT cognitive measures, reaction times showed
good-to-excellent reliability (digit span task: ICC=.75; auditory Stroop task:
ICC=.82). LIMITATIONS: The results cannot be generalized to patients with
advanced disease or to other DT measures. CONCLUSIONS:
In people with PD, DT
measures proved to be reliable for use in clinical studies and look promising for
use in clinical practice to assess improvements after DT training. Large effects,
however, are needed to obtain meaningful effect sizes.
CI - (c) 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Langue : ANGLAIS