Ayurvedic management in a chronic spinocerebellar ataxia and progressive improvement in scale for assessment and rating of ataxia score – An interrupted time series case report

Abstract

Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs) are a highly heterogenous group of disorders that often present as progressive incoordination of walking. Studies are underway globally to find a cure for this genetic disease. Although there are a few Ayurveda case studies reported in SCA, time series reporting of a case has not been done till date. In the present study, a case of SCA was admitted in the IPD, thrice in the period March 2019 to October 2020. The duration of therapy was around two months in each admission. Treatments that aim at arresting the progress of disease such as Nasya (~nasal therapy), Basti (~medicated enema), and Rasayana (~rejuvenative) and that strengthen musculoskeletal system such as Abhyanga (~external oleation) and Churna pinda sweda (~bolus fomentation) were done. The interrupted time series analysis was done with the help of Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) score on March 29, 2019, May 27, 2019, January 9, 2020, March 5, 2020, August 14, 2020, and October 13, 2020 and it showed progressive improvement with each admission.