E.E.H. van Wegen

Cueing training in the home improves gait-related mobility in Parkinson’s disease: the RESCUE trial

Objectives: Gait and mobility problems are difficult to treat in people with Parkinson’s disease. The Rehabilitation in Parkinson’s Disease: Strategies for Cueing (RESCUE) trial investigated the effects of a home physiotherapy programme based on rhythmical cueing on gait and gait-related activity. Methods: A single-blind randomised crossover trial was set up, including 153 patients with Parkinson’s disease aged between 41 and 80 years and in Hoehn and Yahr stage II–IV. Subjects allocated to early intervention (n = 76) received a 3-week home cueing programme using a prototype cueing device, followed by 3 weeks without training. Patients allocated to late intervention (n = 77) underwent the same intervention and control period in reverse order. After the initial 6 weeks, both groups had a 6-week follow-up without training. Posture and gait scores (PG scores) measured at 3, 6 and 12 weeks by blinded testers were the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included specific measures on gait, freezing and balance, functional activities, quality of life and carer strain. Results: Small but significant improvements were found after intervention of 4.2% on the PG scores (p = 0.005). Severity of freezing was reduced by 5.5% in freezers only (p = 0.007). Gait speed (p = 0.005), step length (p<0.001) and timed balance tests (p = 0.003) improved in the full cohort. Other than a greater confidence to carry out functional activities (Falls Efficacy Scale, p = 0.04), no carry-over effects were observed in functional and quality of life domains. Effects of intervention had reduced considerably at 6-week follow-up. Conclusions: Cueing training in the home has specific effects on gait, freezing and balance. The decline in effectiveness of intervention effects underscores the need for permanent cueing devices and follow-up treatment. Cueing training may be a useful therapeutic adjunct to the overall management of gait disturbance in Parkinson’s disease.

Effects of external rhythmical cueing on gait in patients with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review

Objective: To critically review studies evaluating the effects of external rhythmical cueing on gait in patients with Parkinsons disease. Methods: Articles published from 1966 to January 2005 were searched by two physiotherapists in MEDLINE, PiCarta, PEDRo, Cochrane, DocOnline, CINAHL and SUMSEARCH. To be included, articles had to investigate the effects of external rhythmical cueing (i.e., auditory, visual or tactile cueing) on gait parameters in patients with idiopathic Parkinsons disease. Both controlled and noncontrolled studies were included. Based on the type of design and methodological quality a meta-analysis or best-evidence synthesis was applied. Results: Twenty-four studies (total number of patients = 626) out of the 159 screened studies were evaluated in this systematic review. Two out of 24 were randomized controlled trails (RCT), both of high methodological quality. One RCT did not focus specifically on external rhythmical cueing of individual patients with Parkinsons disease, but on group exercises in general, including walking with cues. All other studies were pre-experimental studies. Best-evidence synthesis showed strong evidence for improving walking speed with the help of auditory cues. Insufficient evidence was found for the effectiveness of visual and somatosensory cueing. Conclusion: Only one high-quality study, specifically focused on the effects of auditory rhythmical cueing, suggesting that the walking speed of patients with Parkinsons disease can be positively influenced. However, it is unclear whether positive effects identified in the laboratory can be generalized to improved activities of daily living (ADLs) and reduced frequency of falls in the community. In addition, the sustainability of a cueing training programme remains uncertain.

The use of rhythmic auditory cues to influence gait in patients with Parkinson's disease, the differential effect for freezers and non-freezers, an explorative study

Purpose. To study the effect of rhythmic auditory cues on gait in Parkinsons disease subjects with and without freezing and in controls. Method. A volunteer sample of 20 patients (10 freezers, 10 non-freezers) and 10 age-matched controls performed five randomized cued walking conditions in a gait-laboratory. Auditory cues were administered at baseline frequency, at an increased step frequency of 10 and 20% above baseline and at a decreased step frequency of 10 and 20% below baseline. Mean step frequency, walking speed, stride length and double support duration were collected. Results. Rhythmical auditory cueing induced speed changes in all subjects. Stride length was not influenced by rhythmical auditory cues in controls, whereas patients showed a larger stride length in the −10% condition (p < 0.01). Freezers and non-freezers showed the same response to rhythmical auditory cues. Within group analysis for stride length showed different cueing effects. Stride length decreased at the +10% condition for freezers (p < 0.05), whereas it increased for non-freezers. Conclusions. This study points to fact that physiotherapists might need to carefully adjust the cueing frequency to the needs of patients with and without freezing. On the basis of the present results we recommend to lower the frequency setting for freezers, whereas for non-freezers an increase of up to +10% may have potential therapeutic use.

Rehabilitation, exercise therapy and music in patients with Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis of the effects of music-based movement therapy on walking ability, balance and quality of life

Recent evidence suggests that music-based movement (MbM) therapy may be a promising intervention to improve gait and gait-related activities in Parkinsons disease (PD) patients, because it naturally combines cognitive movement strategies, cueing techniques, balance exercises and physical activity while focussing on the enjoyment of moving on music instead of the current mobility limitations of the patient. A meta-analysis of RCTs on the efficacy of MbM-therapy, including individual rhythmic music training and partnered dance classes, was performed. Identified studies (K = 6) were evaluated on methodological quality, and summary effect sizes (SES) were calculated. Studies were generally small (total N= 168). Significant homogeneous SESs were found for the Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test and stride length (SESs: 4.1,2.2,0.11; P-values <0.01; I(2) 0,0,7%, respectively). A sensitivity analysis on type of MbM-therapy (dance- or gait-related interventions) revealed a significant improvement in walking velocity for gait-related MbM-therapy, but not for dance-related MbM-therapy. No significant effects were found for UPDRS-motor score, Freezing of Gait and Quality of Life. Overall, MbM-therapy appears promising for the improvement of gait and gait-related activities in PD. Future studies should incorporate larger groups and focus on long-term compliance and follow-up.

The attentional cost of external rhythmical cues and their impact on gait in Parkinson’s disease: effect of cue modality and task complexity

SummaryChanges in gait performance in 153 subjects with PD using three rhythmical cues (auditory, visual and somatosensory) were measured during a simple walking task and a dual walking task in the home. Subjects were ‘on’ medication and were cued at preferred step frequency. Accelerometers recorded gait and walking speed, step amplitude and step frequency were determined from raw data. Data were analysed with SAS using linear regression models. Gait performance during a single task reduced with cues in contrast to a dual task where PD subjects appeared to benefit from rhythmical cues (increased speed and step length). Effects were dependent on cue modality with significant improvements for auditory cues compared to others. A significant short-term carry-over effect of cues reduced 3 weeks later. Cues may reduce attentional demands by facilitating attentional allocation, accounting for differences of cue seen during single and dual task. Furthermore cue modality may influence attentional demand which is an important consideration for rehabilitation.

The effect of rhythmic somatosensory cueing on gait in patients with Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Gait and gait related activities in patients with Parkinsons disease (PD) can be improved with rhythmic auditory cueing (e.g. a metronome). In the context of a large European study, a portable prototype cueing device was developed to provide an alternative for rhythmic auditory cueing: rhythmic somatosensory cueing (RSC, a miniature vibrating cylinder attached to the wrist). We investigated whether PD patients could adapt their walking pattern using RSC under conditions of changing walking speed and the presence of potentially distracting visual flow while walking on a treadmill. METHODS A total of 17 patients with PD participated (mean age 63.4+/-10.3 years; Hoehn-Yahr score 2.5+/-0.9, mean Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale score 49.8+/-13.7, mean disease duration 7.7+/-5.1 years). They performed systematic walking speed manipulations under 4 conditions in a random order: (1) no cue, no visual flow, (2) no cue, visual flow, (3) cue, no visual flow and (4) cue, visual flow. Visual flow in the form of a virtual corridor that moved at the current walking speed was projected on a 2 x 2 m rear-projection screen. The cueing rhythm was set at -10% of preferred stride frequency at each speed. Stride frequency was assessed using peaks in the trajectories of thigh sagittal plane segmental angles. RESULTS Walking with RSC resulted in lower stride frequencies, and thus larger step lengths (p-values <0.05), regardless of walking speed. The presence of visual flow did not impair the use of RSC, as evidenced by the lack of differences between conditions 3 and 4 (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Rhythmic somatosensory cueing may be a viable alternative for auditory cueing and is robust to changes in walking speed and visual distractors.

Measuring fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis: reproducibility, responsiveness and concurrent validity of three Dutch self-report questionnaires

Purpose. To determine the reproducibility, responsiveness and concurrent validity of Dutch versions of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and Checklist Individual Strength (CIS20R) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method. Forthy-three ambulatory patients with MS (mean age 48.7 years; SD 7 years; 30 women; median Expanded Disability Status Scale score 3.5) completed the questionnaires twice within 1 week. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs), Bland and Altman analysis, the smallest detectable change (SDC) and the minimal detectable change (MDC) were calculated. Concurrent validity was determined by Pearsons correlation coefficients. Results. ICCs ranged from 0.76 (FSS), to 0.85 (MFIS) to 0.81 (CIS20R). Bland and Altman analysis showed no significant systematic differences between assessments. MDCs were 20.7% (FSS), 19.23% (MFIS), and 17.7% (CIS20R). Pearson correlation coefficients were r = 0.66 (FSS–MFIS), r = 0.54 (MFIS–CIS20R) and r = 0.42 (CIS20R–FSS). Conclusion. Despite good test–retest reliability of FSS, MFIS and the CIS20R, the present study shows that fatigue questionnaires are not very responsive for change in patients with MS. This finding suggests that future trials should monitor profiles of fatigue by repeated measurements rather than pre-post assessments alone. The moderate associations suggest that the three questionnaires largely measure different aspects of perceived fatigue.

Everyday walking with Parkinson's disease: understanding personal challenges and strategies

Purpose. This qualitative study was designed to explore the personal experience of everyday walking with Parkinsons disease (PD), the challenges and the strategies employed to compensate for difficulties, to help contextualise the scientific knowledge base. Methods. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a sample of 20 people with idiopathic PD (12 male, 8 female; mean age 65 years (range 50 – 80); mean disease duration 10 years (range 2.5 – 26). Verbatim interview transcripts were analyzed thematically using NUD*IST N6 qualitative data analysis software. Results. Walking was invariably performed as an integral part of a purposeful activity within a specific context, termed walking ‘plus’, with challenges encountered by people with PD in three main areas: Undertaking tasks; negotiating environments; and making transitions to walking. The two key strategies to compensate for difficulties experienced were monitoring through the use of concentration, and correcting through generating rhythm and size of steps. Carers supported monitoring and correcting. Conclusion. People with PD need to constantly assess and drive their walking performance. Attentional resources, which can themselves be compromised in PD, were used to accomplish what is normally a largely automatic activity. Personal accounts support scientific hypotheses. Rehabilitation interventions and measurements in PD need to reflect both the physical and psychosocial context of everyday walking.

Erratum: Measuring fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis: Reproducibility, responsiveness and concurrent validity of three Dutch self-report questionnaires (Disability and Rehabilitation 32: 22 (1870-1876))

Measuring fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis: reproducibility, responsiveness and concurrent validity of three Dutch self-report questionnaires, Rietberg MB, Van Wegen EE, Kwakkel G., Volume 32, No 22, pp 1870–1876 The authors have noticed an error in their published article which has been corrected below: The final printed version now reads (page 1872, under heading ‘responsiveness’, right column): ‘‘The SEM was calculated by SD6 (1 ( R), with R1⁄4ICC and SD1⁄4 (total variance) [De Vet 2006]’’. Whereas it should read: ‘‘The SEM was calculated by SD6 (1 – R), with R1⁄4ICC and SD1⁄4 (total variance) [De Vet 2006]’’. Disability and Rehabilitation, 2011; 33(13–14): 1298