title: Physiotherapy intervention in Alzheimer's disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies reported that physiotherapy interventions are available to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the efficacy remains uncertain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy intervention on AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data sources were searched from literature databases, journals, and reference lists from 1 January 1990 to the end of 1 April 2014. Randomized and non-randomized controlled trials with physiotherapy intervention were included in our meta-analysis. Jadad score and Newcastle-Ottawa scale were used to assess the quality of included trials. Outcome measures were cognition function, physical function, activity of daily life (ADL) and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  23 trials met the inclusion standard finally. Significant changes were seen in cognitive function: Mini-Mental State Examination score (weighted mean difference (WMD): 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): [0.76, to, 2.93], p < 0.0001), and verbal fluency (standard mean difference (SMD): 0.34, 95% CI: [0.01 to 0.66], p = 0.04). Other outcomes are also significant, they were timed up and go test (SMD: 0.56, 95% CI: [0.30 to 0.83], p < 0.0001), berg functional balance scale (SMD: 1.11, 95% CI: [0.37 to 1.84], p = 0.003), 6-min walk distance test (SMD: 141.45, 95% CI: [11.72 to 271.18], p = 0.03), ADL (SMD: 0.78, 95% CI: [0.33 to 1.23], p = 0.0007) and NPI (SMD: -0.69, 95% CI: [-1.31 to -0.07], p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The available data indicate that physiotherapy intervention may have benefits in AD. However, current data are not definitive; more carefully designed and conducted observational studies are needed to definitively establish that whether physiotherapy intervention can effectively alleviate symptoms of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Chen
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Teng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Chen-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jin-Tai
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Activity of daily life; Alzheimer's disease; cognitive function; meta-analysis; neuropsychiatric inventory; physical function; physiotherapy intervention