Evaluation of functional changes in the evolutionary stages of Parkinson's disease: a case series

Abstract

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease is one of the fastest growing neurological disorders in the world and is considered to be predominantly a motor disorder, classified as neurodegenerative, chronic and extrapyramidal, characterized by tremors, muscular rigidity, postural balance deficit and bradykinesia. Objective: To analyze the functional changes presented by Parkinson’s disease patients in the different evolutionary stages of the disease. Methods: The sample included 30 patients of both genders, aged between 51 and 75 years, with clinical diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease in different evolutionary stages, undergoing physiotherapy in the Pernambuco Parkinson Association. The patients were evaluated through the Hoehn and Yahr Staging Scale and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Results: The results highlighted an increase in the presence and severity of the changes presented by the Parkinson’s disease patients, according to the evolution of the stages of the disease, especially considering aspects relating to motor activity and activities of daily living, including changes related to speech, swallowing, the ability to get dressed, personal hygiene, turning in bed and arising from a chair, occurrence of falls, posture, gait, postural stability and the presence of bradykinesia/hypokinesia. Conclusion: It is believed that the classification of the evolutionary stage of patients through the Hoehn and Yahr Scale and the registration of functional change through the UPDRS are useful for the development of the physiotherapy treatment plan.