DO HUNTINGTON`S DISEASE PATIENTS BENEFIT FROM MULTIDISCIPLINARY INPATIENT REHABILITATION?

Huntington`s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease. Since no disease modifying medication is available until now, rehabilitation and other therapeutic approaches are of major interest. Some studies suggest that multidisciplinary rehabilitation may be beneficial in HD improving activities of daily living (ADL). Medical records of the BDH-Clinic Hessisch Oldendorf, a large rehabilitation facility in Northern Germany, have been carefully reviewed and three HD cases have been identified over the last decade. The patients have been treated with a three-week inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation program, including ADL-training, physical, cognitive, occupational and (in one case) speech therapy. All patients benefitted from inpatient rehabilitation. Two were discharged with a BI increase of 5 resp. 20 points. In one case, BI remained unchanged, but the patient`s balance and gait markedly improved. Further controlled studies are needed but results from this small case series and findings from literature suggest that inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation is useful in HD.