Efficacy of treadmill training on neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life among elderly Alzheimer's disease / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze effect of Treadmill Training on neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life in elderly patients with Alzheimer′s disease. Methods From May 2018 to November 2018, the experimental design was adopted. The patients with 55-75 years old AD, the First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou Fujian Medical University were randomly divided into groups. Group (treadmill training, 68 patients), control group (no intervention, 68 patients). The two groups were evaluated before the training and 20 weeks after training, using the Neuropsychology Scale (NPI-Q) and the Alzheimer's disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL-AD), and the t-test, two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance, etc. Statistical methods for data analysis. Results There were no significant differences in neuropsychiatric scores and QOL scores between the two groups before training (P＞0.05). After training through a 20-week treadmill, the total score of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease in the experimental group (t=-1.317, P=0.204 before training; t=-10.01, P=0.046 after 20 weeks of training), affective symptoms ( Before training, t=-1.684, P=0.092; t=-11.26, P=0.043 after 20 weeks of training, psychiatric symptoms (t=1.168 before training, P=0.235; t=-9.94 after training for 20 weeks, P=0.034) ), behavioral symptoms (t=1.952 before training, P=0.129; t=-3.61, P=0.028 after 20 weeks of training), and QOL total score (t=1.452, P=0.140 before training; t=22.27 after training, P=0.040) were statistically different; and the improvement of neuropsychiatric symptoms in the experimental group was significantly different from that in the control group (F=23.10, P=0.000), while the QOL of the experimental group was also significantly different from the control group (t=- 8.88, P=0.000). Conclusion Non-pharmacological treatment with treadmill training can improve neuropsychiatric symptoms and improve quality of life in elderly AD patients.