Outpatient Motor Retraining for Functional Movement Disorder: Predictors of a Favorable Short-Term Response.

Background: Treating functional movement disorder (FMD) with motor retraining is effective but resource intensive. Objectives: Identify patient, disease, and program variables associated with favorable treatment outcomes. Methods: Retrospective review of the 1 week intensive outpatient FMD program at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota from February 2019 to August 2021. Outcomes included patient-reported measures (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure-Performance and Satisfaction subscales [COPM-P and COPM-S, range 0-10] and Global Rating of Change [GROC, -7 to +7]) and a retrospective investigator-rated scale (0-3, worse/not improved to significantly improved/resolved). Linear regression models identified variables predicting favorable outcomes. Results: Participants (n = 201, 74% female, mean age = 46) had median FMD duration of 24 months. The commonest FMD subtypes were gait disorder (65%), tremor (41%) and weakness (17%); 53% had ≥2 subtypes. Most patients (88%) completed a therapeutic screening process before program entry. Patient-reported outcomes at the end of the week improved substantially (COPM-P average change 3.8 ± 1.9; GROC post-program average 5.5 ± 1.7). Available investigator-rated outcomes from short-term follow-up were also positive (102/122 [84%] moderately to significantly improved/resolved). Factors predicting greater improvement in COPM-P were completing therapeutic screening, higher number of non-motor symptoms, shorter FMD duration, earlier program entry, lower baseline COPM scores, and (among screened patients) higher GROC between therapeutic screening and program start. Conclusion: Patients with diverse FMD subtypes improved substantially over a 1 week period. Utilization of therapeutic screening and greater improvement between therapeutic screening and program start were novel predictors of favorable outcomes. Non-motor symptoms did not preclude positive responses, although patients with predominant non-motor burden were excluded.

The Relationship Between Frailty and Decreased Physical Performance With Death on the Kidney Transplant Waiting List.

INTRODUCTION: Frailty and decreased physical performance are associated with poor outcomes after kidney transplant. Less is known about their relationship with pretransplant outcomes. The aim of this study was to characterize associations between frailty and physical performance with death on the kidney transplant waiting list. DESIGN: Since December 2014, high-risk kidney transplant candidates at our center (age > 59, diabetic and/or history of >3 years dialysis) have undergone frailty and physical performance testing using Fried Criteria and the Short Physical Performance Battery. RESULTS: Between December 2014 and November 2016, 272 high-risk candidates underwent testing and were approved for transplant. Both frailty and physical performance score were significantly associated with death on the waiting list (hazard ratio [HR]: 6.7, confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-30.1; P = .01; HR: 0.8 per 1-point increase, CI: 0.7-1.0; P = .02, respectively). The relationship between frailty, physical performance score, and death on the waiting list appeared to be independent of age, diabetes, or duration of dialysis. DISCUSSION: Frailty and decreased physical performance appear to be independently associated with increased mortality on the kidney transplant waiting list. Further studies are needed to determine whether improving frailty and physical performance prior to transplant can decrease waiting list mortality.