falls efficacy scale), clinician rated disability scales (such as the
unified Parkinson¡¯s disease rating scale (UPDRS)), patient rated
quality of life (such as Parkinson¡¯s disease questionnaire 39),
adverse events, compliance or withdrawals, and health
economics where available.
Results of each trial were combined using standard meta-analytic
methods to estimate an overall effect for physiotherapy versus
no intervention. Since all outcomes were continuous variables,
weighted mean difference methods were used.23 Briefly, for
each trial, this involved calculating the mean change (and
standard deviation) from baseline to the time point after
intervention, for both the intervention and no intervention
groups. From these numbers, the mean difference and its
variance between arms for each trial could be calculated and
then combined using a fixed effects model.
The primary analysis was a comparison of physiotherapy with
no intervention (control) using change from baseline to the first
assessment after treatment (which, in most cases, was
immediately after intervention). This comparison was chosen
as the primary analysis, because in most trials it was the main
data analysis reported, and few trials reported data at assessment
points in the longer term (that is, after six months). Some trials
also allowed patients in the control group to receive
physiotherapy intervention after this point, so this primary
analysis allowed a clean comparison of physiotherapy
intervention versus no intervention.
Since the different trials implemented various types of
physiotherapy, trials were divided according to the type of
intervention (general physiotherapy, exercise, treadmill, cueing,
dance, or martial arts). If any trials with three or more treatment
arms were identified, we made two assumptions for the analysis.
Firstly, if the trial was comparing two or more physiotherapy
methods in the same category of intervention (as described
above) versus control, then the data for those physiotherapy
arms were combined to give one comparison of physiotherapy
intervention versus control for that trial.
Secondly, if the trial was comparing two or more physiotherapy
methods that were in different categories (as described above)
versus control, then the data for those physiotherapy arms were
kept separate, and the data for that trial were included in the
appropriate physiotherapy categories. Therefore, in some cases,
the control arms for some trials were included twice in the
analysis. However, this related to only a small number of trials
and patients, and it was judged that this double inclusion would
not overly influence the analysis. We used tests of heterogeneity
to make indirect comparisons to investigate whether the
treatment effect differed across the different intervention
categories.24
Results
Of 76 potentially relevant studies identified, 31 were excluded
(for example, studies were not properly randomised, or crossover
trials did not report data for the first intervention period) and
six were ongoing trials for which no data were available (fig
1.). Therefore, we included 39 randomised controlled trials of
1827 patients in the systematic review (fig 1, web table 1).25-63
There were nine trials with multiple arms.27 31 37 38 40 45 52 55 60 In
five trials, two intervention arms were in the same physiotherapy
category; therefore, these arms were combined to give one
physiotherapy comparison versus no intervention.37 40 52 55 60 In
five trials, two intervention arms were in different physiotherapy
categories, so the trial contributed data to two physiotherapy
comparisons.27 31 38 45 60 This meant that these five trials were
included multiple times in the analysis, and the control arms
from these trials were counted more than once. Therefore, 39
trials contributed data for 44 comparisons within the six different
physiotherapy interventions (physiotherapy n=7, exercise n=14,
treadmill training n=8, cueing n=9, dance n=2, and martial arts
n=4, table 1.).
Methodological quality
The amount of methodological detail reported in the trials was
variable, with several quality indicators not fully discussed in
many publications (fig 2., web table 2). Only six (15%)
studies26 32 33 36 57 59 reported a sample size calculation in the trial
report. Less than half of the trials described the randomisation
method used, and information on concealment of treatment
allocation was also poorly reported (14 (36%)). Blinded
assessors were used in 24 (62%) studies (although in one study,
the assessors correctly guessed the treatment allocation in nearly
30% of patients33). Finally, only nine trials stated intention to
treat as the primary method of analysis,29 32 33 36 39 40 47 57 63 three
trials stated per protocol as the primary method of analysis,34 52 55
and the remaining trials did not describe the method of analysis.
Data available for analysis
Of 13 trials reported in abstract form, five had data available
for meta-analysis.34 37 39 51 55 From the studies with full
publications, one trial had relevant data that could not be
extracted because it was only available in graph form,56 and
another trial published only median and interquartile range data,
which could not be meta-analysed in this format.30 Therefore,
data were not available from ten trials, and data available for
meta-analysis was provided by 29 trials.
Effects of intervention
Gait outcomes
Speed was significantly increased with physiotherapy compared
with no intervention (mean difference 0.04 m/s, 95% confidence
interval 0.02 to 0.06; P<0.001, fig 3.). There were also benefits
of borderline significance for the two or six minute walk test
and the freezing of gait questionnaire. We saw a greater increase
in the distance walked in two or six mins (13.37 m, 0.55 to
26.20; P=0.04, web figure 1) and an improvement in score for
the freezing of gait questionnaire (.1.41, .2.63 to .0.19;
P=0.02, web figure 2) after physiotherapy. By contrast, we saw
borderline significance in favour of no intervention for the time
taken to walk 10 or 20 m (0.40 s, 0.00 to 0.80; P=0.05, web
figure 3). There was no significant difference between
physiotherapy and no intervention for cadence (.1.57 steps/min,
.3.81 to 0.67; P=0.17), stride length (0.03 m, .0.02 to 0.08;
P=0.24), and step length (0.02 m, 0.00 to 0.04; P=0.06), (table
2.).
Functional mobility and balance outcomes
We found significant improvements with physiotherapy for the
timed up and go test (.0.63 s, 95% confidence interval .1.05
to .0.21; P=0.003), functional reach test (2.16 cm, 0.89 to 3.43;
P<0.001), and Berg balance scale (3.71 points, 2.30 to 5.11;
P<0.001); (table 2, figs 4-6...). There was no difference with
physiotherapy compared with no intervention for activity
specific balance confidence scale (2.40 points, .2.78 to 7.57;
P=0.36; table 2).
In the analysis for the timed up and go test, one trial was heavily
weighted in the analysis owing to small standard deviations
compared with other studies (fig 4).60 Furthermore, in the trial
publication, a non-significant effect of martial arts intervention
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