title: RCT - subjective physical performance and quality of life after a 6-month programmed sports therapy (PST) in patients with haemophilia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Musculoskeletal bleedings lead to limitations in the locomotor system and consequently, in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with haemophilia (PwH). Sports therapy is increasingly recommended to improve their physical performance. Until today, randomised controlled studies investigating changes in physical performance in PwH are rare.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the impact of programmed sports therapy on the subjective physical performance and the HRQoL in PwH.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with a training intervention for over 6 months. For this purpose, 64 PwH with moderate (n = 5) or severe (n = 59) haemophilia A (n = 57) or B (n = 7) were randomised into two groups - intervention (IG) or control group (CG). The HRQoL was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire and the disease-specific Haem-A-QoL before and after the intervention. The subjective physical performance was tested by the HEP-Test-Q.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the 6-month training intervention, PwH in the IG subjectively reported significant better 'endurance' (P = 0.000) in the HEP-Test-Q compared to the CG. In the SF-36, a significant difference in the domains 'general health perceptions' (P = 0.005) and 'mental health' (P = 0.001) was detected. The haemophilia-specific HRQoL questionnaire showed a significant improvement in the dimensions 'feeling' (P = 0.049), 'work' (P = 0.046) and 'family' (P = 0.040).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the first RCT evaluating the impact of a 6-month training intervention on the subjective perception of PwH, an increase in subjective physical performance and some domains of HRQoL was demonstrated in the IG. Specific sports therapy should be included into the comprehensive treatment under supervision and monitoring by experienced staff.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Runkel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Von Mackensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hilberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: HEP-Test-Q; HRQoL; exercise; haemophilia; self-assessment; training