Abstract
<jats:p> Objective: To evaluate the effect of acoustic cueing using metronomes on the quality of life of people with moderate to severe Parkinson’s disease. </jats:p><jats:p> Study design: Pragmatic, single-blind, randomized cross-over trial. </jats:p><jats:p> Participants: Forty-two people aged 50—85 years, in Hoehn and Yahr stage II—IV and on stable medication. Eight were lost to follow-up. </jats:p><jats:p> Intervention: Participants were randomized using concealed allocation to either an early group (n = 21) to receive an electronic metronome without therapy but limited support (5—10 minutes instruction and on-demand telephone assistance) for four weeks, or a late group (n = 21) to receive the same intervention at 10 weeks. In both groups the beat frequency was initially set to be comfortable for walking. </jats:p><jats:p> Outcomes measures: Primary and secondary outcomes were measured at baseline, 4, 10 and 14 weeks using the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39), the Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36 version 2) and a falls diary. </jats:p><jats:p> Results: There were positive effects in six domains of the SF-36 version 2 and eight domains of the PDQ-39, although only one mean difference was clinically important: the role limitation (emotional) domain of SF-36 version 2 (a mean difference of 3.77, 95% confidence interval (CI), —2.68 to 10.22), a secondary outcome. None of these changes were statistically significant. There were no statistically significant differences in falls rates over the study period. Ten participants (24%) wanted to continue with their metronomes at the end of the study. </jats:p><jats:p> Conclusion: To demonstrate metronomes are beneficial on the role limitation domain of the SF-36 version 2 in people with moderate to severe Parkinson’s disease a sample size of 600 would be required. </jats:p>
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 523-532 |
Number of pages | 0 |
Journal | Clinical Rehabilitation |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 18 May 2010 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2010 |