Camila Torriani-Pasin

Functional capacity and assistance from the caregiver during daily activities in Brazilian children with cerebral palsy.

Background Cerebral Palsy (CP) presents changes in posture and movement as a core characteristic, which requires multiprofessional clinical treatments during children’s habilitation or rehabilitation. Besides clinical treatment, it is fundamental that professionals use evaluation systems to quantify the difficulties presented to the individual and their families in their daily lives. We aimed to investigate the functional capacity of individuals with CP and the amount of assistance required by the caregiver in day-to-day activities. Methods Twenty patients with CP, six-year-old on average, were evaluated. The Pediatric Evaluation Inventory of Incapacities was used (PEDI - Pediatric Evaluation Disability Inventory), a system adapted for Brazil that evaluates childs dysfunction in three 3 dimensions: self-care, mobility and social function. To compare the three areas, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used. Results We found the following results regarding the functional capacity of children: self-care, 27.4%, ±17.5; mobility, 25.8%, ±33.3 and social function, 36.3%, ±27.7. The results of the demand of aid from the caregiver according to each dimension were: self-care, 9.7%, ±19.9; mobility, 14.1%, ± 20.9 and social function, 19.8%, ±26.1. Conclusion We indicated that there was no difference between the performance of the subjects in areas of self-care, mobility and social function considering the functional skills and assistance required by the caregiver.

Performance of Down syndrome subjects during a coincident timing task

Background The time synchronization is a very important ability for the acquisition and performance of motor skills that generate the need to adapt the actions of body segments to external events of the environment that are changing their position in space. Down Syndrome (DS) individuals may present some deficits to perform tasks with synchronization demand. We aimed to investigate the performance of individuals with DS in a simple Coincident Timing task. Method 32 individuals were divided into 2 groups: the Down syndrome group (DSG) comprised of 16 individuals with average age of 20 (+/− 5 years old), and a control group (CG) comprised of 16 individuals of the same age. All individuals performed the Simple Timing (ST) task and their performance was measured in milliseconds. The study was conducted in a single phase with the execution of 20 consecutive trials for each participant. Results There was a significant difference in the intergroup analysis for the accuracy adjustment - Absolute Error (Z = 3.656, p = 0.001); and for the performance consistence - Variable Error (Z = 2.939, p = 0.003). Conclusion DS individuals have more difficulty in integrating the motor action to an external stimulus and they also present more inconsistence in performance. Both groups presented the same tendency to delay their motor responses.

Comparison between the six-minute walk test and the six-minute step test in post stroke patients

Background The Stroke remains one of the major chronic diseases worldwide, and is considered a major cause of disability, which results not only in persistent neurological deficits, but also in the high physical deconditioning, nevertheless there are not many forms of assessing functional capacity in this population. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of the Six Minute Walk Teste and the Six-Minute Step Test (6MST) in post-stroke patients and compare the behavior of physiological variables during the 6MST and the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), by correlating the functional performance obtained in both tests. Method The 6MWT was carried out according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the 6MST was performed in six minutes in order to compare it to the 6MWT in a 20 cm step. Was included post-stroke individuals able to walk without aid. All of them did the 6MWT and the 6MST. Results 12 patients participated in the study. There was no statistical difference in the parameters analyzed when tests were compared. There was poor correlation between the functional performance in both tests. Conclusion The 6MWT and the 6MST is feasible for post-stroke patients and physiological responses are equal during the performance of both tests. However, there was no correlation with respect to functional performance, which was assessed by the distance walked in the 6MWT and by the number of steps climbed in the 6MST.

Effects of virtual reality for stroke individuals based on the International Classification of Functioning and Health: a systematic review.

Abstract Objective: This review determines the effects of virtual reality interventions for stroke subjects based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability,and Health (ICF) framework. Virtual reality is a promising tool for therapy for stroke rehabilitation, but the effects of virtual reality interventions on post-stroke patients based on the specific ICF domains (Body Structures, Body Functions, Activity, and Participation) have not been investigated. Method: A systematic review was conducted, including trials with adults with a clinical diagnosis of a chronic, subacute, or acute stroke. Eligible trials had to include studies with an intervention protocol and follow-up, with a focus on upper limbs and/or lower limbs and/or balance. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) was used to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials. Each trial was separated according to methodological quality into a high-quality trial (PEDro ≥ 6) and a low-quality trial (PEDro ≤ 6). Only high-quality trials were analyzed specifically based on the outcome of these trials. Results: In total, 54 trials involving 1811 participants were included. Of the papers included and considered high quality, 14 trials evaluated areas of the Body Structures component, 20 trials of the Body Functions domain, 17 trials of the Activity component, and 8 trials of the Participation domain. In relation to ICF Part 2, four trials evaluated areas of the Personal Factors component and one trial evaluated domains of the Environmental Factors component. Discussion: The effects of virtual reality on stroke rehabilitation based on the ICF framework are positive in Body Function and Body Structure. However, the results in the domains Activity and Participation are inconclusive. More high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm the effectiveness of virtual reality in the domains of Activity and Participation.

Effect of Kinect games on postural control of patients with Parkinson's disease

Parkinsons disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that progressively compromises motor control and cognition. Recently, the new generation of video games has been used to promote motor cognitive training. These studies have shown improvement on postural control, cognition and performance of daily living activities in patients with Parkinsons disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of playing Microsoft Kinect Adventures™ on postural control of patients with Parkinsons disease. The design of study was a case series that was conducted at the Associação Brasil Parkinson, Brazil. Six patients (four males, two female) with Parkinsons disease (Hoehn and Yahr Stages 1 to 3) participated of this study. Patients performed fourteen 60-minute sessions, three times per week, playing four games of Kinect Adventures. The main outcome measures was the Limits of Stability. Secondary outcome was the safety. One patient had back pain during the period of training. The Limits of Stability before training and after training were 118.5 (28.0) and 163.7 (38.3), respectively. The training with Kinect Adventures™ games were safety and promoted improvement on postural control of patients with PD on stages 1 to 3 of Hoehn & Yahr scale.

Quantification of functional abilities in Rett syndrome: a comparison between stages III and IV

We aimed to evaluate the functional abilities of persons with Rett syndrome (RTT) in stages III and IV. The group consisted of 60 females who had been diagnosed with RTT: 38 in stage III, mean age (years) of 9.14, with a standard deviation of 5.84 (minimum 2.2/maximum 26.4); and 22 in stage IV, mean age of 12.45, with a standard deviation of 6.17 (minimum 5.3/maximum 26.9). The evaluation was made using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, which has 197 items in the areas of self-care, mobility, and social function. The results showed that in the area of self-care, stage III and stage IV RTT persons had a level of 24.12 and 18.36 (P=0.002), respectively. In the area of mobility, stage III had 37.22 and stage IV had 14.64 (P<0.001), while in the area of social function, stage III had 17.72 and stage IV had 12.14 (P=0.016). In conclusion, although persons with stage III RTT have better functional abilities when compared with stage IV, the areas of mobility, self-care, and social function are quite affected, which shows a great functional dependency and need for help in basic activities of daily life.

Impact of Dual Task on Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke and Ataxia Patients’ Gait: A Comparative Analysis

Introduction: Performing dual task for neurological patients is complex and it can be influenced by the localization of the neurological lesion.Objective: Comparing the impact of dual task on gait in patients with Parkinsons disease, stroke and ataxia.Method: Subjects with Parkinsons disease (PD) in initial phase, stroke and ataxia, with independent gait, were evaluated while doing simple gait, with cognitive, motor and cognitive-motor gait demand, assessing average speed and number of steps.Results: Ataxia and stroke patients, compared with PD, showed an increase in the number of steps and decrease the average speed on the march with cognitive demand. Subjects with PD performed better on tasks when compared to others.Conclusion: In this study the impact of dual task was lower in Parkinsons disease patients.

Long-term effects of an intensive interventional training program based on activities for individuals with spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

Abstract Objectives: To investigate the long-term effects of a rehabilitation program using activity-based therapies in daily activities and the participation of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: A descriptive study of case reports assessing the performance of daily activities and quality of life as a dependent variable, using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), respectively. Seven individuals were included in the intervention composed of a multimodal intensive therapies program based on activities (activity-based therapy, ABT) conducted for 18 months. Results: It was possible to descriptively observe that the individual with the shortest time of injury and previous training obtained the largest variation in the FIM score. But no statistically significant difference was found in the assessments. Conclusion: For trained individuals with chronic SCIs, classified “A” according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), an ABT program did not significantly affect the scores of the scales used to assess quality of life (SF-36) and functional independence (FIM).

PHYSICAL EXERCISE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW BASED ON THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONING, DISABILITY, AND HEALTH

Introduction: Considering the reduction of physical activity performed daily in people with spinal cord injury, it is necessary to analyze the interventions based on physical exercises in order to provide recommendations based on evidence. Objectives: To review and evaluate the literature on physical exercise interventions for individuals with SCI, based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, as well as physiological parameters for exercise prescription. Method: A systematic review of the literature produced from August 2016 to February 2017 within the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and MEDLINE databases. Results: Two independent examiners conducted a search in which 223 articles were initially found. A third evaluator verified possible divergences and generated a final list of 25 articles that strictly met the inclusion criteria, 5 of which investigated the effects of aerobic exercise, 2 of resistance training, 2 of balance training, 12 of gait training, and 4 evaluating the combined effect of 2 or more forms of training. Conclusion: Considering studies classified as of high and moderate quality of evidence, positive effects were observed in the domains of structures and functions, in aerobic, resistance training and combined exercises, and in some studies with gait training. In the domain of activities and participation, positive effects were observed in the studies with gait training, balance training, and combined interventions.

Aerobic stimulus induced by virtual reality games in stroke survivors

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether virtual reality games (VRGs) in stroke survivors produce significant and reproducible heart rate and oxygen consumption (V˙o2) responses during their execution, corresponding to an intensity between the anaerobic threshold (AT) and the respiratory compensation point (RCP). DESIGN Single-subject, repeated-measure design. SETTING Stroke survivors registered from a rehabilitation program. PARTICIPANTS Chronic hemiparetic stroke survivors (N=12; 10 men; mean age ± SD, 58±12y) rated at 3 or 4 in the Functional Ambulation Categories. INTERVENTIONS Participants underwent, in a random order, 2 identical sessions of VRGs (console Xbox 360 + Kinect) and 1 control session (38min watching a movie). The VRG sessions were composed of 4 sets of VRGs (3min of tennis, 1min for changing the game, and 4min of boxing) interspaced with 2 minutes of rest. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Heart rate and V˙o2 were measured during the experimental sessions and compared with heart rate and V˙o2 obtained at AT and RCP assessed during a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test. RESULTS Heart rate and V˙o2 during VRGs had good reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficients, ≥.91 and ≥.85, respectively; coefficients of variation, ≤6.7% and ≤13.7%, respectively). Heart rate during VRGs was similar to AT and significantly lower than RCP (P≤.05), while V˙o2 was significantly lower than AT and RCP (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS An acute session of VRGs composed of tennis and boxing games using the console XBox 360 + Kinect promotes reproducible responses of heart rate and V˙o2 that corresponded, respectively, to AT and below AT, characterizing a low-intensity aerobic stimulus.