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Large Variability of Frequency and Type of Physical Therapy in Patients in the German Network for Systemic Sclerosis.
- Source :
- Arthritis Care & Research; Aug2020, Vol. 72 Issue 8, p1041-1048, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- <bold>Objective: </bold>To determine the type and frequency of physical therapy (PT) prescribed by physicians for patients in the registry of the German Network for Systemic Sclerosis.<bold>Methods: </bold>The data for 4,252 patients were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and odds ratios (ORs).<bold>Results: </bold>Overall, 37.4% of patients (1,590 of 4,252) received PT at the end of a yearly follow-up. The most frequently used type of PT was lymphatic drainage (n = 1,061, 36.8%), followed by exercise therapy (n = 1,047, 36.3%) and heat therapy (n = 689, 23.9%). More than three-fourths of treated patients (82%) received 1 or 2 different forms of PT simultaneously. The prescription of PT was associated with the extent of skin fibrosis as measured by the modified Rodnan skin thickness score (<10 [41.8% of patients], 11-20 [55.8% of patients], and >21 [63.9% of patients]; P < 0.001). Patients with musculoskeletal involvement (e.g., arthritis, muscle weakness, joint contractures, tendon friction rubs) had a higher chance of receiving PT than patients without these symptoms, with corresponding ORs ranging from 1.96 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.69-2.28) for joint contractures to 3.83 (95% CI 2.89-5.08) for arthritis. When comparing the type of PT prescription across the initial and all follow-up visits from 2003 to 2017, significant alterations with a decreasing frequency of patients receiving PT could be observed (P = 0.001).<bold>Conclusion: </bold>To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the use of PT in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) in a large cohort. Although SSc is characterized by considerable disability and restriction of motion, <40% of patients received PT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2151464X
- Volume :
- 72
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Arthritis Care & Research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 144829237
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.23998