Short-term effects of aerobic exercise on functional capacity, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with post-polio syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate and compare the impact of hospital and home exercise programmes on aerobic capacity, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with post-polio syndrome.

DESIGN

A prospective, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital.

SUBJECTS

Thirty-two patients were divided into two groups for either hospital- or home-based aerobic exercise programme.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patients were assessed before and after the rehabilitation programme, with respect to functional capacity (pVo2), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale, Fatigue Impact Scale) and quality of life (Nottingham Heath Profile).

RESULTS

After the exercise programme, improvement was observed in the hospital exercise group compared to a pre-exercise period in all Nottingham Heath Profile scores (except sleep scores), pVo2, Fatigue Severity Scale and Fatigue Impact Scale (cognitive, physical, psychosocial, total) (P<0.05). In contrast, in the home exercise group a decrease was observed in pVo2 scores after the rehabilitation programme, compared to a pre-rehabilitation period (P<0.05). In addition, a significant improvement was observed in the home exercise group after the rehabilitation programme in all parameters excluding Fatigue Impact Scale-physical, Fatigue Impact Scale-psychosocial, and Nottingham Heath Profile-sleep (P<0.05). When the two exercise groups were compared, improvement was observed in the hospital exercise group compared to the home exercise group in pVo2 and Fatigue Severity Scale-total, Fatigue Impact Scale-physical, Fatigue Impact Scale-psychosocial, Fatigue Impact Scale-total, and Nottingham Heath Profile-energy scores (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Fatigue and quality of life were both improved in the home and hospital exercise groups. An increase was also found in the functional capacity in the hospital exercise group. A regular exercise programme is beneficial to patients with post-polio syndrome.