Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33332538›Full record

ArticlePhysical therapy2021

Individualized Aerobic Exercise in Neuromuscular Diseases: A Pilot Study on the Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness to Improve Physical Fitness.

Eric L Voorn, Fieke S Koopman, Frans Nollet, Merel-Anne Brehm

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Physical therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Eric L VoornAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, the Netherlands.
Fieke S KoopmanAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, the Netherlands.
Frans NolletAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, the Netherlands.
Merel-Anne BrehmAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveClear guidelines to prescribe aerobic exercise in neuromuscular diseases (NMD) are lacking, which hampers effective application in neuromuscular rehabilitation. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an individualized aerobic exercise program according to a recently developed training guide (B-FIT) to improve physical fitness in individuals with NMD.

methodsThirty-one individuals who were ambulatory and had 15 different slowly progressive NMD participated in a 4-month, polarized, home-based, aerobic exercise program. The program included 2 low-intensity sessions and 1 high-intensity session per week. Feasibility outcomes were the following: completion rate, proportion of followed sessions, adverse events, and participant and therapist satisfaction based on a self-designed questionnaire. Submaximal incremental exercise tests were used to assess the effects on physical fitness.

resultsTwenty-six participants (84%) completed the B-FIT program, and the proportion of followed sessions was >75%. Three adverse events were reported and resolved. Regarding satisfaction, participants (based on n = 9) reported feeling fitter, but training was considered insufficiently challenging. Physical therapists (n = 5) reported that B-FIT provides a clear, well-grounded guidance. They perceived the time investment for initiating the program and the carry-over to primary care as the main barriers. The mean (SD) submaximal heart rate (based on n = 20) reduced significantly by -6.5 beats per minute (95% CI = -11.8 to -1.2), from 121.7 (16.5) at baseline to 115.2 (14.3) after intervention. Submaximal ratings of perceived exertion, anaerobic threshold, and peak workload also improved significantly (P < .05).

conclusionThe outcomes of this pilot study suggest that individualized aerobic exercise according to B-FIT is feasible and has potential to improve physical fitness in a wide variety of slowly progressive NMD. However, some barriers must be addressed before investigating the efficacy in a randomized controlled trial. IMPACT: The outcomes of this study demonstrate the feasibility of individualized aerobic exercise according to the B-FIT training guide and the potential to improve physical fitness in NMD. Physical therapists indicated that the use of B-FIT provides a clear, well-grounded guidance. The training guide can support health care professionals in the application of aerobic exercise in adult neuromuscular rehabilitation. LAY SUMMARY: Individualized exercise according to the B-FIT training guide is feasible in a wide variety of slowly progressive NMD and might help improve physical fitness.

Indexed as

AdultAgedExerciseExercise TherapyFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuromuscular DiseasesPhysical FitnessPilot ProjectsProspective StudiesSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAerobic ExerciseFeasibilityNeuromuscular DiseasesPhysical FitnessRehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID33332538
PMCPMC7940713

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.