Phase I randomized single-blinded controlled study investigating the potential benefit of aerobic exercise in degenerative cerebellar disease.
Scott Barbuto, Dario Martelli, Isarime Babajide Omofuma and 6 others
PMID 32037861WHAT IT FOUND
For people with degenerative cerebellar disease, four weeks of structured home stationary cycling, with exercise logs and weekly phone calls, was feasible in a small pilot.
Compared with no training, ataxia severity, walking speed, and fitness improved.
Key findings
01All aerobic training participants completed four weeks with no drop-out; eight of 10 reached the frequency target, nine of 10 reached the heart-rate target, and only one mild back pain was reported.
02Compared with no training, ataxia severity, walking speed, Timed Up and Go, maximal oxygen consumption, and Dynamic Gait Index scores improved, and several remained significant after multiple testing correction.
03Positive changes in static balance and instrumented gait measures did not remain significant after correction for multiple comparisons.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was a small feasibility pilot, so it was not powered to prove that aerobic training works. The control group received no active treatment, so expectation and contact time cannot be separated from the cycling, exercise logs, and weekly phone calls. Participants were not blinded to group assignment. The group included different degenerative cerebellar disorders, so results may not apply equally to each diagnosis. Several secondary balance and gait outcomes were not significant after multiple-comparison correction. Only four weeks of training were studied, so longer-term adherence and effects are unknown. The supplied text does not state the total number of participants analysed.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Columbia Medical Center. The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that cycling alone treats degenerative cerebellar disease. This was a small feasibility study with no active control, and the training package also included exercise logs and weekly phone calls, so the contribution of cycling alone cannot be separated.