SynthesisJournal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry2024
Effectiveness of conservative non-pharmacological interventions in people with muscular dystrophies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effect of exercise training on clinical and physiological variables in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neurology · 2026Pooled it
- A study evaluating differences in 3D upper limb kinematics and surface electromyography measures in adults with and without facioscapulohumeral dystrophy.JSES reviews, reports, and techniques · 2026Article
- Beyond the first bout: Adaptations to repeated injuries across physiological and pathological conditions.Physiological reports · 2026Review
- Molecular Insights and Orthopedic Management in Muscular Dystrophies: A Comprehensive Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Muscular Dystrophy Muscle Preservation: A Comparative Systematic Review of Exercise and Cannabidiol (CBD) Interventions.Journal of biotechnology and biomedicine · 2026Article
- Rehabilitation technology in assessment and treatment of arm and hand function in myotonic dystrophy type 1: A single subject experimental design study.Journal of neuromuscular diseases · 2026Article
- State-of-the-Art and Future Challenges for Nutritional Interventions in Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy: A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionManagement of muscular dystrophies (MD) relies on conservative non-pharmacological treatments, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited and inconclusive.
objectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of conservative non-pharmacological interventions for MD physical management.
methodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and searched Medline, CINHAL, Embase, AMED and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial (inception to August 2022). Effect size (ES) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) quantified treatment effect.
resultsOf 31,285 identified articles, 39 studies (957 participants), mostly at high risk of bias, were included. For children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), trunk-oriented strength exercises and usual care were more effective than usual care alone in improving distal upper-limb function, sitting and dynamic reaching balance (ES range: 0.87 to 2.29). For adults with Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), vibratory proprioceptive assistance and neuromuscular electrical stimulation respectively improved maximum voluntary isometric contraction and reduced pain intensity (ES range: 1.58 to 2.33). For adults with FSHD, Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), strength-training improved dynamic balance (sit-to-stand ability) and self-perceived physical condition (ES range: 0.83 to 1.00). A multicomponent programme improved perceived exertion rate and gait in adults with Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) (ES range: 0.92 to 3.83).
conclusionsLow-quality evidence suggests that strength training, with or without other exercise interventions, may improve perceived exertion, distal upper limb function, static and dynamic balance, gait and well-being in MD. Although more robust and larger studies are needed, current evidence supports the inclusion of strength training in MD treatment, as it was found to be safe.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.