Could Tai-chi Help Maintain Balance of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Spinocerebellar atrophy is the most common autosomal dominant inherited ataxia. There are over thirty subtypes, which characterize neurologic features differently. They all have obvious substantial cerebellar atrophies in image, and unstable gait、ataxia. In general a prevalence of about three cases per 100 000 people is assumed, but this may be an underestimate. Progressive neurologic degeneration, in about 10-20 years, will leads to disability or wheelchair-dependent. Accompanying with fatigue, downhill course of the disease often made patients depressive and hopeless. The recent review of researches concludes no effective therapy for the disease. The purpose of the investigator's study is to explore the Tai-chi exercise effect for spinocerebellar ataxia.

Official Title
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Integrative Medicine and Tai-chi in Clinical Status of Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Conditions
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Spinocerebellar Ataxias, Tai Chi

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Tai chi
* Drug: conventional medicine


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: progressive ataxia accompanied with the observation of cerebellar atrophy on magnetic resonance or computed tomography images SARA score of less than 20 Exclusion Criteria: Patients with complicated cerebellar disorders, such as multiple system atrophy, Parkinson-plus syndromes, secondary cerebellar degeneration from encephalitis, trauma, hypoxia, cerebrovascular diseases, and toxic- or drug-induced cerebellar degeneration SARA score of larger than 20

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 20 Years
Maximum Age: 80 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Tai chi<br>participants in this group accepted Tai chi exercise and conventional medicine. | Behavioral: Tai chi<br>* participants were required to receive hospital-based Tai chi training at least once a month, and home-based Tai chi exercise at least three times a week over the next 9 months<br>Drug: conventional medicine<br>* participants without Tai chi training still received routine conventional medicine<br>|
| Active Comparator: controlled group<br>participants were not received Tai chi exercise, but only routine conventional medicine | Drug: conventional medicine<br>* participants without Tai chi training still received routine conventional medicine<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia(SARA) | SARA assesses eight aspects of cerebellar function: walking, sitting, standing, speaking, finger chasing, the nose-finger test, fast alternating hand movements, and the heel-shin slide. The eight categories accumulate score ranging from 0 (no ataxia) to 40 (most severe ataxia).Gait (0-8 points),Stance (0-6 points),Sitting (0-4 points),Speech disturbance (0-6 points),Finger chase (0-4 points),Nose-finger test (0-4 points),Fast alternating hand movement (0-4 points),Heel-shin slide (0-4 points) | assessed at baseline and 9 months, 9 months reported as Outcome Measure Data |