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EXERCISE THERAPY FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. M.B. Rietberg, D. Brooks, B.M.J. Uitdehaag, and G. Kwakkel. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;3:CD003980.
Background and Purpose: Although recent advances have been made in the development of disease-modifying agents for the management of multiple sclerosis (MS), exercise therapy continues to be considered an integral component of management for this population. The primary objective of the systematic review was to determine whether exercise therapy is an effective treatment for people with MS with respect to the ability to perform activities of daily living. The secondary objective was to determine the effects of exercise therapy on health-related quality of life.
Methods: The authors searched multiple electronic English and Dutch databases between 1966 and 2004, and conducted manual searches in the journal Multiple Sclerosis for articles published between 1998 and 2004. References were screened to identify studies and reviews, and abstracts published in proceedings of conferences were also searched. Eligibility criteria included randomized, controlled clinical trials (RCTs) (including randomized, crossover trials) of exercise therapy involving subjects with a clinical diagnosis of MS who were free of exacerbation. Studies with the following interventions were included: rehabilitation,...