title: Effects of a Two-Year Intensive Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program for Patients with Huntington's Disease: a Prospective Intervention Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess effects of a two year intensive, multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for patients with early- to mid-stage Huntington's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective intervention study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One inpatient rehabilitation center in Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 patients, with early- to mid-stage Huntington's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two year rehabilitation program, consisting of six admissions of three weeks each, and two evaluation stays approximately three months after the third and sixth rehabilitation admission. The program focused on physical exercise, social activities, and group/teaching sessions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standard measures for motor function, including gait and balance, cognitive function, including MMSE and UHDRS cognitive assessment, anxiety and depression, activities of daily living (ADL), health related quality of life (QoL) and Body Mass Index (BMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six out of ten patients completed the full program. Slight, but non-significant, decline was observed for gait and balance from baseline to the evaluation stay after two years. Non-significant improvements were observed in physical QoL, anxiety and depression, and BMI. ADL-function remained stable with no significant decline. None of the cognitive measures showed a significant decline. An analysis of individual cases revealed that four out of the six participants who completed the program sustained or improved their motor function, while motor function declined in two participants. All the six patients who completed the program reported improved or stable QoL throughout the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that participation in an intensive rehabilitation program is well tolerated among motivated patients with early to mid-stage HD. The findings should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size in this study.
authors: Department of Research and Development, North Norway Rehabilitation Center, Tromsø, Norway North Norway Rehabilitation Center.
authors: Anu
authors: A
authors: Piira
authors: Center for Habilitation and Rehabilitation Models and Services, Medical faculty, Dept. of Neurohabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors: Marleen R
authors: MR
authors: van Walsem
authors: Department of Research and Development, North Norway Rehabilitation Center, Tromsø, Norway.
authors: Geir
authors: G
authors: Mikalsen
authors: North Norway Rehabilitation Center, Department of Research and Development, Tromsø, Norway.
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Øie
authors: Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, and Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors: Jan C
authors: JC
authors: Frich
authors: Department of Research and Development, North Norway Rehabilitation Center, Tromsø, Norway.
authors: Synnove
authors: S
authors: Knutsen