Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate short- and long-term effects of intensive
rehabilitation on ataxia, gait, and activities of daily living (ADLs) in patients
with degenerative cerebellar disease. METHODS: A total of 42 patients with pure
cerebellar degeneration were randomly assigned to the immediate group or the
delayed-entry control group. The immediate group received 2 hours of inpatient
physical and occupational therapy, focusing on coordination, balance, and ADLs,
on weekdays and 1 hour on weekends for 4 weeks. The control group received the
same intervention after a 4-week delay. Short-term outcome was compared between
the immediate and control groups. Long-term evaluation was done in both groups at
4, 12, and 24 weeks after the intervention. Outcome measures included the
assessment and rating of ataxia, Functional Independence Measure, gait speed,
cadence, functional ambulation category, and number of falls. RESULTS: The
immediate group showed significantly greater functional gains in ataxia, gait
speed, and ADLs than the control group. Improvement of truncal ataxia was more
prominent than limb ataxia. The gains in ataxia and gait were sustained at 12
weeks and 24 weeks, respectively. At least 1 measure was better than at baseline
at 24 weeks in 22 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term benefit of intensive
rehabilitation was evident in patients with degenerative cerebellar diseases.
Although functional status tended to decline to the baseline level within 24
weeks, gains were maintained in more than half of the participants.

Langue : ANGLAIS