Pullia Massimo, Ciatto Laura, Andronaco Giuseppe, Donato Concetta, Aliotta Rosario Ermes, Quartarone Angelo, De Cola Maria Cristina, Bonanno Mirjam, Calabrò Rocco Salvatore, Cellini Roberta
IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, Cda Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
Brain Sci. 2023 Sep 12;13(9):1312. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13091312.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders that causes postural instability and gait alterations, such as reduced walking speed, shorter step length, and gait asymmetry, exposing patients to a higher risk of falling. Recently, virtual reality (VR) was added to a treadmill, in order to promote motor functional recovery and neuroplastic processes. Twenty PD patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). In particular, patients in the EG were trained with the C-Mill, an innovative type of treadmill, which is equipped with semi-immersive VR, whereas the CG performed conventional physiotherapy. Patients in both groups were evaluated through a specific motor assessment battery at baseline (T0) and after the training (T1). Comparing pre-(T0) and post-(T1) treatment scores, in the EG, we found statistical significances in the following outcome measures: 6 Minutes Walking Test (6MWT) ( < 0.0005), Timed up and go (TUG right) ( < 0.03), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) ( < 0.006), Tinetti Scale (TS) ( < 0.002), Falls Efficacy Scale- International (FES-I), ( < 0.03) Unified PD Rating Scale-III (UPDRS) ( < 0.002), and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) ( < 0.004). Also, the CG showed statistical significances after the training. Between-group (EG and CG) analysis showed significative statistical differences in 6MWT ( < 0.006), BBS ( < 0.006), TS ( < 0.008), FES-I ( < 0.01), and FIM ( < 0.009). From our results it emerges that both groups (EG and CG) achieved better outcome scores after the treatment, suggesting that both physiotherapy interventions were effective. However, the EG training using VR seemed to have induced more improvements, especially in gait and balance skills. Then, C-Mill could be a valid adjunctive treatment in the context of gait and balance disturbances, which are very common in the PD population.
帕金森病（PD）是最常见的神经退行性疾病之一，会导致姿势不稳和步态改变，如步行速度降低、步长缩短和步态不对称，使患者面临更高的跌倒风险。最近，虚拟现实（VR）被添加到跑步机上，以促进运动功能恢复和神经可塑性过程。招募了20名帕金森病患者，并将他们随机分为两组：实验组（EG）和对照组（CG）。具体而言，实验组的患者使用一种创新型跑步机C-Mill进行训练，该跑步机配备了半沉浸式VR，而对照组则进行传统物理治疗。两组患者在基线（T0）和训练后（T1）均通过特定的运动评估量表进行评估。比较治疗前（T0）和治疗后（T1）的分数，在实验组中，我们在以下结果指标中发现了统计学意义：6分钟步行试验（6MWT）（<0.0005）、起立行走试验（TUG右）（<0.03）、伯格平衡量表（BBS）（<0.006）、Tinetti量表（TS）（<0.002）、跌倒效能量表-国际版（FES-I）（<0.03）、统一帕金森病评定量表-III（UPDRS）（<0.002）和功能独立性测量（FIM）（<0.004）。此外，对照组在训练后也显示出统计学意义。组间（EG和CG）分析显示，在6MWT（<0.006）、BBS（<0.006）、TS（<0.008）、FES-I（<0.01）和FIM（<0.009）方面存在显著的统计学差异。从我们的结果可以看出，两组（EG和CG）在治疗后都取得了更好的结果分数，这表明两种物理治疗干预都是有效的。然而，使用VR的实验组训练似乎带来了更多改善，尤其是在步态和平衡技能方面。因此，对于帕金森病患者中非常常见的步态和平衡障碍，C-Mill可能是一种有效的辅助治疗方法。
