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Impact of ambulatory physiotherapy on motor abilities of elderly subjects with A lzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Manckoundia Patrick,
Taroux Michaël,
Kubicki Alexandre,
Mourey France
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/ggi.12075
Subject(s) - tinetti test , medicine , ambulatory , analysis of variance , gait , physical therapy , timed up and go test , significant difference , repeated measures design , balance (ability) , mini–mental state examination , physical medicine and rehabilitation , disease , dementia , statistics , mathematics
Aim We investigated the impact of ambulatory physiotherapy ( AP ) on motor abilities in elderly subjects with A lzheimer's disease ( AD ). Methods Subjects with mild to moderate AD were included and divided into “physiotherapy group” ( PG ) and “no physiotherapy group” ( NPG ) according to whether or not they received AP between inclusion ( T0 ) and the second time of assessment, between 15 and 36 months after inclusion ( T1) . The follow‐up duration, Mini‐Mental State Examination, Tinetti and mini motor test ( MMT ) scores, Timed Up & Go test ( TUG ), gait speed ( GS ), one‐leg balance ( OLB ), history of falls within the last 6 months ( HF ), ability to rise from the floor ( RFF ) and the use of a walking aid ( UWA ) were recorded at T0, and after at least 15 months of follow up ( T1 ). Results A total of 50 subjects were included in the NPG and 20 in the PG . At baseline, these groups were not significantly different for all the parameters recorded. The anova showed a progression of cognitive disorders in the two groups between T0 and T1 ( P < 0.001), which was similar in the two groups ( P = 0.83). For each postural and motor quantitative test (Tinetti, MMT , TUG , GS ) the anova showed a main effect of time of assessment (All P < 0.05) associated with a group × time of assessment interaction (All P < 0.05). The comparison between the two groups with regard to the evolution of qualitative parameters showed a significant difference for the OLB test only. No significant difference was found for RFF , HF and UWA . Conclusions There was a significant improvement or stability of motor abilities in the PG ; while these abilities decreased in the NPG . Geriatr Gerontol Int 2014; 14: 167–175.