A Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Falls in People With Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Falls are common and disabling in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). There is a need to quantify the effects of movement rehabilitation on falls in PD.

Objective: To evaluate 2 physical therapy interventions in reducing falls in PD.

Health-related quality of life and strain in caregivers of Australians with Parkinson's disease: an observational study.

Background: The relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers is little understood and any effects on caregiver strain remain unclear. This paper examines these relationships in an Australian sample.

Methods: Using the generic EuroQol (EQ-5D) and disease-specific Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 Item (PDQ-39), HRQoL was evaluated in a sample of 97 people with PD and their caregivers.

Protocol for a home-based integrated physical therapy program to reduce falls and improve mobility in people with Parkinson's disease.

Background: The high incidence of falls associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) increases the risk of injuries and immobility and compromises quality of life. Although falls education and strengthening programs have shown some benefit in healthy older people, the ability of physical therapy interventions in home settings to reduce falls and improve mobility in people with Parkinson's has not been convincingly demonstrated.

Methods/design: 180 community living people with PD will be randomly allocated to receive either a home-based integrated rehabilitation program (progressive resistance strength training, movement strategy training and falls education) or a home-based life skills program (control intervention).

Feasibility, safety, and compliance in a randomized controlled trial of physical therapy for Parkinson's disease.

Both efficacy and clinical feasibility deserve consideration in translation of research outcomes. This study evaluated the feasibility of rehabilitation programs within the context of a large randomized controlled trial of physical therapy. Ambulant participants with Parkinson's disease (PD) (n = 210) were randomized into three groups: (1) progressive strength training (PST); (2) movement strategy training (MST); or (3) control ("life skills").

Falls and mobility in Parkinson's disease: protocol for a randomised controlled clinical trial.

Background: Although physical therapy and falls prevention education are argued to reduce falls and disability in people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, this has not yet been confirmed with a large scale randomised controlled clinical trial. The study will investigate the effects on falls, mobility and quality of life of (i) movement strategy training combined with falls prevention education, (ii) progressive resistance strength training combined with falls prevention education, (iii) a generic life-skills social program (control group).

Methods/design: People with idiopathic Parkinson's disease who live at home will be recruited and randomly allocated to one of three groups.

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of bilateral deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus for symptomatic relief of advanced idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Patients were assessed and received medical treatment at the Kingston Centre, Southern Health, Melbourne.