Author Affiliations: Institute of Nursing, King George's Medical University, Lucknow (Ms Dhawan); and College of Nursing (Dr Andrews) and Departments of Medical Oncology (Dr Kumar), Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Dr Wadhwa), and Neurology (Dr Shukla), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Cancer Nurs. 2020 Jul/Aug;43(4):269-280. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000693.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is the presence of tingling, burning, itching, and unpleasant sensations in hands and feet due to nerve damage by chemotherapy. Exercise rehabilitation has potential to prevent or alleviate CIPN.
The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of muscle strengthening and balancing exercises on CIPN pain and quality of life (QOL) among cancer patients.
The randomized controlled trial included 45 cancer patients from a tertiary care hospital in India receiving chemotherapeutic drugs paclitaxel and carboplatin and found to have CIPN. Subjects were randomly allocated to exercise (n1 = 22) and usual care (n2 = 23) groups. The exercise group received home-based muscle strengthening and balancing exercise for 10 weeks. Data regarding demographic, clinical characteristics, CIPN, neuropathic pain, and QOL were collected by structured questionnaires Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool, nerve conduction velocity, Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs pain scale, and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire.
The 2 groups were homogenous regarding demographic variables. In clinical characteristics, the exercise group had larger body surface area and received a higher dose of paclitaxel. Significant reduction in neuropathic pain scores (P < .0001) and improvement in Functional QOL (P = .0002), Symptom QOL (P = .0003), Global Health Status QOL (P = .004) scores were observed after intervention in the exercise group than the usual-care group.
Muscle strengthening and balancing exercises are effective in reducing CIPN pain and improving QOL among cancer patients.
Muscle strengthening and balancing exercises can be used as a complementary therapy for effective management of CIPN.
化疗引起的周围神经病（CIPN）是由于化疗引起的神经损伤而导致手脚出现刺痛、烧灼感、瘙痒和不适感。运动康复有可能预防或减轻 CIPN。
本研究旨在评估肌肉强化和平衡运动对接受紫杉醇和卡铂化疗的癌症患者 CIPN 疼痛和生活质量（QOL）的影响。
这项随机对照试验纳入了印度一家三级护理医院的 45 名接受紫杉醇和卡铂化疗且患有 CIPN 的癌症患者。受试者被随机分配到运动（n1=22）和常规护理（n2=23）组。运动组接受为期 10 周的家庭肌肉强化和平衡运动。通过结构化问卷收集有关人口统计学、临床特征、CIPN、神经病理性疼痛和 QOL 的数据，包括化疗引起的周围神经病评估工具、神经传导速度、利兹评估周围神经症状和体征疼痛量表以及欧洲癌症研究与治疗组织生活质量问卷。
两组在人口统计学变量方面具有同质性。在临床特征方面，运动组的体表面积更大，接受的紫杉醇剂量更高。干预后，运动组的神经病理性疼痛评分显著降低（P<0.0001），功能 QOL（P=0.0002）、症状 QOL（P=0.0003）和全球健康状况 QOL（P=0.004）评分均得到改善，优于常规护理组。
肌肉强化和平衡运动可有效减轻癌症患者的 CIPN 疼痛并改善其生活质量。
肌肉强化和平衡运动可作为 CIPN 有效管理的补充疗法。
