Cambios espirométricos tras la aplicación de un programa de cinesiterapia en la espondilitis anquilosante: estudio piloto

Abstract

Objective The current pilot study aimed to evaluate changes in Spirometric volumes and rib mobility after application of a physical therapy program based on a Global Posture Re-education protocol or a conventional exercise program. Material and methods Twenty patients diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis were divided into a control and experimental group. The experimental group was treated with a Global Posture Re-education Method based protocol whereas the control group was treated with a conventional exercise program. During a 3-month treatment period, patients received 12 sessions of supervised physical therapy. A spirometric analysis was performed to assess Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume during the First Second (FEV1) and the FEV1/FVC coefficient and rib mobility pre-intervention and after the 3-month intervention period. An analysis of variance for repeated measures was used for the statistical analysis of each variable studied. Results Significant differences were found with the analysis of variance for time factor in FVC (F=7.133; P<0.01), FEV1 (F=16.47; P<0.001), and rib mobility (F=28.17; P<0.001), but not for FEV1/FVC coefficient (F=2.807; P=0.1). Interaction between group and time was also found for FEV1/FVC (F=5.25; P=0.03) but not for the remaining variables: FVC, FEV1. Furthermore, rib mobility improved the same in both groups whereas the FEV1/FVC had a greater increase in the experimental group. Nevertheless, effect sizes were small (EfS<0.2) for Spirometric volumes, but large (EfS > 1) for rib mobility. Conclusions The results from the present pilot study suggest that the application of a physical therapy exercise program, either conventional or based on the Global Posture Re-education Method, may induce changes in spirometry in Ankylosing Spondylitis. Future studies are required in order to determine the clinical relevance of these changes.