title: Effects of an intensive rehabilitation programme on patients with Huntington's disease: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of an intensive, inpatient rehabilitation programme on individuals affected by Huntington's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot study. Within-subjects design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inpatient rehabilitation home of the Italian welfare system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients, early and middle stage of the disease, were recruited to an intensive, inpatient rehabilitation protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  The treatment programme included respiratory exercises and speech therapy, physical and occupational therapy and cognitive rehabilitation exercises. The programme involved three-week admission periods of intensive treatment that could be repeated three times a year.
  
  
  METHODS
  A standard clinical assessment was performed at the beginning of each admission using the Zung Depression Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Barthel Index, Tinetti Scale and Physical Performance Test (PPT). Tinetti and PPT were also used at the end of each admission to assess the outcomes in terms of motor and functional performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each three-week period of treatment resulted in highly significant (P < 0.001) improvements of motor performance and daily life activities. The average increase was 4.7 for Tinetti and 5.21 for PPT scores. No carry-over effect from one admission to the next was apparent but at the same time, no motor decline was detected over two years, indicating that patients maintained a constant level of functional, cognitive as well as motor performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intensive rehabilitation treatments may positively influence the maintenance of functional and motor performance in patients with Huntington's disease.
authors: ISTC, National Research Council, Rome. paola.zinzi@istc.cnr.it
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Zinzi
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Salmaso
authors: Rosa
authors: R
authors: De Grandis
authors: Graziano
authors: G
authors: Graziani
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Maceroni
authors: Annarita
authors: A
authors: Bentivoglio
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Zappata
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Frontali
authors: Gioia
authors: G
authors: Jacopini
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D010045:Outpatients; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013070:Speech Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome