New Strategies for Rehabilitation and Pharmacological Treatment of Fatigue Syndrome in Multiple Sclerosis.

par SFCCE | 2020 | Publication Santé

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), with an inflammatory demyelinating basis and a progressive course. The course of the disease is very diverse and unpredictable. Patients face many problems on a daily basis, such as problems with vision; sensory, balance, and gait disturbances; pain; muscle weakness; spasticity; tremor; urinary and fecal disorders; depression; and rapidly growing fatigue, which significantly influences quality of life among MS patients. Excessive fatigue occurs in most MS patients in all stages of this disease and is named MS-related fatigue. The crucial issue is the lack of effective treatment; therefore, this review focuses not only on the most common treatment methods, but also on additional novel therapies such as whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), functional electrical stimulation (FES), and non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). We also highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular clinical scales used to measure fatigue. The entire understanding of the origins of MS-related fatigue may lead to the development of more effective strategies that can improve quality of life among MS patients. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PEDro databases.

Zielińska-Nowak, E, Włodarczyk, L, Kostka, J, Miller, E. (2020)

Full Article :  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33171768/ 

Effects of Whole-Body Cryostimulation (-90°C) on Somnolence and Psychological Well-Being in an Older Patient with Restless Legs Syndrome.

par SFCCE | 2020 | Publication Santé

Background: We aimed at evaluating the feasibility and effects of intense (i.e. -90°C) whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) on somnolence and psychological well-being in an older-adult patient diagnosed with restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Methods: An interrupted time series approach was used in which the efficacy of cryostimulation was evaluated by measuring self-reported fatigue, wake time sleepiness, and well-being several times prior to, during, and after exposure to treatment (i.e. daily 3-min sessions of intense WBC).

Results: No adverse event occurred. Reported levels of sleepiness decreased immediately following the beginning of the treatment phase. In the same time, self-reported well-being significantly increased. Effects sizes were of large magnitude.

Conclusion: In summary, the present study demonstrated that daily exposure to extremely cold air in an enclosed space for 2 weeks was feasible and effective in promoting physical and psychological states in an older patient with sleep disturbances.

Kasmi, S, Filliard, JR, Polidori, G, Bouchet, B, Blancheteau, Y, Legrand, FD. (2020)

Full Article :  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31515948/