Rehabilitation management of Pompe disease, from childhood trough adulthood: A systematic review of the literature

Recommendations for Infantile-Onset and Late-Onset Pompe Disease: An Iranian Consensus

Background: Pompe disease, also denoted as acid maltase or acid α-glucosidase deficiency or glycogen storage disease type II, is a rare, autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder. Several reports have previously described Pompe disease in Iran and considering increased awareness of related subspecialties and physicians, the disease's diagnosis is growing.

Objective: This guideline's main objective was to develop a national guideline for Pompe disease based on national and international evidence adapting with national necessities.

Methods: A group of expert clinicians with particular interests and experience in diagnosing and managing Pompe disease participated in developing this guideline. This group included adult neurologists, pediatric neurologists, pulmonologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, pathologists, and physiatrists. After developing search terms, four authors performed an extensive literature review, including Embase, PubMed, and Google Scholar, from 1932 to current publications before the main meeting. Before the main consensus session, each panel member prepared an initial draft according to pertinent data in diagnosis and management and was presented in the panel discussion. Primary algorithms for the diagnosis and management of patients were prepared in the panel discussion. The prepared consensus was finalized after agreement and concordance between the panel members.

Conclusion: Herein, we attempted to develop a consensus based on Iran's local requirements. The authors hope that disseminating these consensuses will help healthcare professionals in Iran achieve the diagnosis, suitable treatment, and better follow-up of patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease and late-onset Pompe disease.

A Comprehensive Approach to Rehabilitation Interventions in Patients with Angelman Syndrome: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic disease affecting the central nervous system and neurobehavioral development causing severe mental, linguistic, and physical disabilities. The purpose of this review was to analyze the most recent evidence regarding the rehabilitation of subjects affected by this syndrome. The review was carried out in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A total of 3661 studies were identified in the databases. Once the inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied, 15 studies were considered for the paper's preparation. The level of evidence of the studies was established according to the criteria of the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine-Levels of Evidence. From the selected studies, five rehabilitative approaches emerged: physiotherapy, applied behavioral analysis, toilet training, microswitch-cluster technology, and augmentative and alternative communication. Although the studies did not have a high level of evidence, the reported results appear to be encouraging and pave the way for further studies. It seems that individualized and multidisciplinary rehabilitation interventions help to improve patients' autonomy and quality of life. In some studies, the caregivers' role was fundamental to identify preferences and long-term improvements. Further studies on larger populations and with better methodological quality are needed to confirm the results.

Supervised Physical Therapy and Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis-A Systematic Review of the Literature

Objective: to find the most up-to-date evidence of the effectiveness and safety of supervised physical therapy in polymyositis/dermatomyositis patients. Methods: a systematic review of the literature in the main scientific databases was carried out. We searched for randomized controlled trials concerning supervised physical therapy and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. The PICOS method was used for the formulation of the clinical query. Methodological quality and the level of evidence of the included studies were assessed using the modified Jadad scale and the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence guide, respectively. Results: a total of 2591 articles were found. By applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, six randomized controlled clinical trials were admitted to the final phase of the review. The compared approaches concerned supervised exercise programs based on strategies of muscle strengthening or aerobic work. Following these exercises, an increase in the maximum rate of oxygen consumption, a decrease in creatine phosphokinase levels, an enhancement in the patient’s aerobic performance and an improvement in the quality of life indexes were registered. The methodological quality of the included studies ranged from 3 to 4.5. All the studies were classified as presenting an evidence level of 2b. Conclusions: supervised physical therapy in polymyositis/dermatomyositis is an effective, safe and free-of-contraindications tool to be used both in the acute and in the established phases of the pathology. However, further and higher-quality studies are necessary to confirm those findings, to clarify the timing of exercise delivery and to guide the choice towards different types of muscle contraction exercises.

Characterization of Gait and Postural Regulation in Late-Onset Pompe Disease

Pompe disease is a multisystemic disorder with the hallmark of progressive skeletal muscle weakness that often results in difficulties in walking and balance. However, detailed characterization of gait and postural regulation with this disease is lacking. The objective of this investigation was to determine if differences exist between the gait and postural regulation of LOPD patients and a matched control group. The gaits of 16 patients with LOPD were assessed using a gait analysis mobile system (RehaGait) and a dynamometric treadmill (FDM-T 1.8). The Interactive Balance System (IBS) was used to evaluate postural regulation and stability. All measures were compared to individual reference data. Demographic (age, gender), morphological (body height, body mass) and clinical data (muscle strength according to the Medical Research Council Scale (MRC Scale), as well as the 6-min walking test and a 10-m fast walk) were also recorded. Compared to individual reference data, LOPD patients presented with reduced gait velocity, cadence and time in single stand. A total of 87% of LOPD patients had abnormalities during posturographic analysis presenting with differences in postural subsystems. This study provides objective data demonstrating impaired gait and posture in LOPD patients. For follow-up analysis and as outcome measurements during medical or physiotherapeutic interventions, the findings of this investigation may be useful.

Evidence-Based Practice in Rehabilitation of Myasthenia Gravis. A Systematic Review of the Literature

Myasthenia gravis is a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue. This review analyzes the most recent evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of different rehabilitative approaches to the disease. The review was carried out in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 365 articles were found in the main scientific databases. Applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 11 studies were admitted to the final phase of the review. Three different rehabilitative approaches were identified: physical training, respiratory training, and balance training. All rehabilitative modalities contributed to enhancing functional outcomes, reducing fatigue, and improving quality of life, but currently none can be recommended over another for the lack of cross-comparative studies. The included studies showed methodological quality from low to fair. Despite the range of rehabilitative interventions available, there is a lack of high-quality evidence. However, this review suggests that a multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach should be recommended to people with myasthenia gravis, and above all, for those with mild to moderate symptomatology.

Evidence-Based Physical Therapy for Individuals with Rett Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Rett syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects brain development and causes severe mental and physical disability. This systematic review analyzes the most recent evidence concerning the role of physical therapy in the management of individuals with Rett syndrome. The review was carried out in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. A total of 17319 studies were found in the main scientific databases. Applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 22 studies were admitted to the final phase of the review. Level of evidence of the included studies was assessed using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine—Levels of Evidence guide. Nine approaches to physical therapy for patients with Rett syndrome were identified: applied behavior analysis, conductive education, environmental enrichment, traditional physiotherapy with or without aids, hydrotherapy, treadmill, music therapy, computerized systems, and sensory-based treatment. It has been reported that patients had clinically benefited from the analysed approaches despite the fact that they did not have strong research evidence. According to the results, a multimodal individualized physical therapy program should be regularly recommended to patients with Rett syndrome in order to preserve autonomy and to improve quality of life. However, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.