Physical Rehabilitation in Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is one of the most neglected diseases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. In the adult population with SCA, the systemic effects of the disease, such as respiratory and peripheral muscle dysfunction, cause a decrease in quality of life. As a consequence, there is a concern about functional rehabilitation, since the aging of this population is already a reality in our environment. Thus, the objective of this project is to evaluate the effects of functional rehabilitation on quality of life in adult patients over 18 years of SCA. In this longitudinal intervention study, patients will be submitted to a three-month rehabilitation program. Before and after the intervention, patients will be submitted to the following assessments: spirometry; quality of life questionnaire - Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36); functional scale of joint integrity - Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS); fatigue assessment scale - Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F); physical activity assessment questionnaire - International Physical Activity Questionaire (IPAQ); peripheral muscle assessment (handgrip and isometric dynamometry of the quadriceps muscle); and 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The protocol will consist of warm-up and cool-down exercises, muscle strengthening and endurance exercises, aerobic training, balance training and proprioception. Thus, it is expected that patients with sickle cell anemia will benefit significantly, with a consequent improvement in musculoskeletal function, pain and health-related quality of life.
Start: January 2020