ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Pediatrics 2024 April;76(2):208-16

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5276.21.05977-2

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Timed rolling and rising tests in Duchenne muscular dystrophy ambulant boys: a feasibility study

Agnieszka SOBIERAJSKA-REK ¹ ✉, Joanna JABŁOŃSKA-BRUDŁO ¹, Aneta DĄBROWSKA ¹, Wiktoria WOJNICZ ², Jarosław MEYER-SZARY ³, Jolanta WIERZBA ⁴

¹ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences with Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland; ² Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland; ³ Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Defects, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland; ⁴ Department of Pediatric and Internal Nursing, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences with Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland

BACKGROUND: Functional activities are extensively used in motor assessments of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The role of timed items has been reported as an early prognostic factor for disease progression. However, there are two functional activities that are not widely assessed in clinical practice among Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients: rolling and bed rising. This study aimed to investigate whether the 360-degree roll (roll) and supine to sit-to-edge (bed rise) measurements are feasible tools reflecting the functional status of ambulatory DMD children by establishing possible correlations between validated measures: the Vignos Scale (VS), timed rise from floor and the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT).
METHODS: A total of 32 ambulant boys with DMD were assessed using timed items, the 6MWT and VS.
RESULTS: The roll and bed rise are correlated with each other. The 6MWT, the floor rise and VS are correlated with the roll and with the bed rise.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings offer preliminary empirical evidence addressing feasibility and safety of roll and bed rise measurements. There is a potential clinical utility of these tests in assessing functional status of DMD ambulant patients.

KEY WORDS: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Patient safety; Feasibility studies