Possibility of osteopathic correction in the complex therapy of patients with Parkinson′s disease

Abstract

Introduction. Parkinson′s disease (PD) is a slowly progressive chronic disease and currently all available treatments are aimed at alleviating the symptoms of the disease and improving the quality of patients′ life. The main correction is drug therapy. Taking into account the progressive nature of the disease, the insuffi cient effectiveness of drug therapy, as well as early and frequent complications from drug therapy, the search for new pathogenetic and symptomatic drugs, as well as additional non-drug methods of treatment, is constantly being conducted. A number of authors have also previously demonstrated positive changes in the state of motor functions and regression of some neurological manifestations in PD patients with the use of certain osteopathic correction techniques. The above suggests that osteopathic correction may become one of the new directions in the treatment of PD within the framework of complex therapy.The aim of the study is to substantiate the possibility of the inclusion of osteopathic correction of patients with Parkinson′s disease in complex therapy.Materials and methods. A controlled, randomized prospective study was carried out at the Bakhrushin Brothers City Clinical Hospital and the «Ear, Throat and Nose Clinic» (Moscow) medical center from April 2019 to January 2020. The study included 24 patients aged 60 to 78 years with a diagnosis of Parkinson′s disease stage I–II according to Hoehn and Yahr. Depending on the applied treatment method, the patients were divided by simple randomization into two comparable groups (main and control) of 12 people each. All observed patients received common drug therapy and exercise therapy. Additionally, the patients of the main group underwent osteopathic correction (within 3 months, once every 14 days, a total of 6 sessions were performed). All patients, regardless of the group, underwent an osteopathic examination before and after treatment, with the formulation of an osteopathic conclusion; the quality of life was assessed according to the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and the impact of motor and non-motor symptoms of PD on the daily activity of patients was assessed using the unifi ed PD assessment scale of the International Society of Movement Disorders (MDS UPDRS).Results. The use of osteopathic correction together with drug therapy in PD patients leads to a statistically signifi cant (p<0,05) improvement in quality of life indicators (vitality scale and physical health scale) and daily physical activity (depression level). There is also a change in the structure of the dominant somatic dysfunctions (SD) in the form of a signifi cant decrease in the number of global SD.Conclusion. To increase the effectiveness of complex therapy for patients with PD, the common drug therapy can be supplemented with osteopathic methods of correction.