Work and power reduced in L-dopa naïve patients in the early-stages of Parkinson's disease.
Studies which have investigated muscular performance during the initial stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) without L-dopa treatments were not found.


OBJECTIVE
to assess whether muscular performance, work and power, of the trunk and lower limbs in L-dopa naïve patients in the early stages of PD was lower than those of healthy subjects and to compare muscular performance between the lower limbs.


METHODS
Ten subjects with PD, Hoehn and Yahr (HY) I-II, L-dopa naïve and 10 subjects in the control group were assessed with the isokinetic dynamometer.


RESULTS
ANOVAs revealed that work and power measures of the trunk, hip, knee, and ankle muscular groups were lower in PD compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in muscular performance between the lower limbs.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested the use of specific exercises, as rehabilitation strategies, to improve the ability to produce work and power with this population.
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Lidiane Oliveira
LO
Lima
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Francisco
F
Cardoso
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Luci Fuscaldi
LF
Teixeira-Salmela
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Fátima
F
Rodrigues-de-Paula
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D060726:Torso / Q000503:physiopathology
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa