title: Are the effects of community-based dance on Parkinson disease severity, balance, and functional mobility reduced with time? A 2-year prospective pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of participation in a 2-year community-based dance class on disease severity and functional mobility in people with Parkinson disease (PD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dance classes took place in a community-based location. Outcome measures were collected in a university laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten individuals with PD were randomly assigned to the Argentine tango (AT) group (n=5 [4 men]; mean age±standard deviation, 69.6±6.6 years) or the control group (n=5 [4 men]; mean age±standard deviation, 66±11.0 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  The AT group participated in a community-based AT class for 1 hour twice weekly for 2 years. Control group participants were given no prescribed exercise. Blinded assessments occurred at baseline and 12 and 24 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) III, Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), gait velocity (forward and backward), Timed Up and Go and dual-task Timed Up and Go, Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), MDS-UPDRS II, MDS-UPDRS I, and Freezing of Gait Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between groups at baseline. A significant group-by-time interaction (F [2,8]=17.59; p<0.0001) was noted for the MDS-UPDRS III, with the AT group having lower scores at 12 and 24 months than the controls. Significant interactions were also noted for the Mini-BESTest, MDS-UPDRS II and I, and 6MWT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is believed to be one of the longest-duration studies to examine the effects of exercise on PD. Participation in community-based dance classes over 2 years was associated with improvements in motor and nonmotor symptom severity, performance on activities of daily living, and balance in a small group of people with PD. This is noteworthy given the progressive nature of PD and the fact that the control group declined on some outcome measures over 2 years.
authors.affiliation: 1 Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis , St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Ryan P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Gammon M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Earhart
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003614:Dance Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology