Physical therapy and speech therapy in Parkinson syndrome--a status assessment

Abstract

74 inpatients and outpatients (mean age 71.9 years) with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, a vascular pseudo-parkinsonian syndrome or a Parkinson-associated dementia were analysed by present-state clinical rating with regard to use and needs of physical and speech therapy. 55% of the patients had physical therapy whatsoever, 32% of them on a daily schedule. 58% of patients without everyday physical therapy indicated to do less physical therapy than one year ago or that they have quite any exercise. This item showed significant correlations with: age of disease onset over 70 years, Hoehn-Yahr stage of 3 and over, activities of daily living according to Schwab-England of less than 60%, diagnosis of vascular pseudoparkinsonian syndrome or Parkinson-associated dementia, more frequent use of community support services for the ambulatory elderly. Only 8% of the patients had ever had speech therapy. Using both ratings of complaints and clinical findings, about 30% of patients had moderate to severe impairment of speech, 80% of these had also considerable memory disturbances. The study suggests that the need for physical therapy might be derived more from patient's assessment of reduced daytime motor activities than from a scaled item rating of an external observer. Use and continuity of physical and speech therapy in Parkinsonism seems to be limited largely by cognitive disturbances and social variables. Speech therapy appears to be useful only for a subgroup of Parkinsonian patients.