Comparison between dopaminergic agents and physical exercise as treatment for periodic limb movements in patients with spinal cord injury

• Autor(a) principal: Mello, Marco Tulio de [UNIFESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2004
• Outros Autores: Esteves, A. M., Tufik, Sergio [UNIFESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNIFESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3101575; http://repositorio.unifesp.br/handle/11600/27679
• topic: periodic limb movement (PLM); physical exercise; L-DOPA; aerobic training; spinal; cord injury; sleep disorders

Study design: Randomized controlled trial of physical exercise and dopaminergic agonist in persons with spinal cord injury and periodic leg movement (PLM).Objective: the objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of physical exercise and of a dopaminergic agonist in reducing the frequency of PLM.Setting: Centro de Estudos em Psicobiologia e Exercicio. Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.Methods: A total of 13 volunteers (mean age: 31.6 +/- 8.3 years) received L-DOPA ( 200 mg) and benserazide ( 50 mg) 1 h before sleeping time for 30 days and were then submitted to a physical exercise program on a manual bicycle ergometer for 45 days ( 3 times a week).Results: Both L-DOPA administration (35.11 - 19.87 PLM/h, P<0.03) and physical exercise (35.11 - 18.53 PLM/h, P<0.012) significantly reduced PLM; however, no significant difference was observed between the two types of treatment.Conclusions: the two types of treatment were found to be effective in the reduction of PLM; however, physical exercise is indicated as the first treatment approach, while dopaminergic agonists or other drugs should only be recommended for patients who do not respond to this type of treatment.