Japanese researchers report the results of a study comparing the outcome of 12 patients with SMA who had or had not undergone motor rehabilitation using an exoskeleton, in addition to intrathecal treatment with nusinersen :
- the 12 patients were mainly adults with type II or III SMA,
- two treatment groups were set up, one with use of the robot (HAL), the other without,
- in the first group, the patients had to be able to move with the aid of a harness coupled to the HAL,
- in the light of changes in the functional scales, HFMSE and RULM in particular, the authors believe that this method, applied as a complement to traditional physiotherapy, brings real benefit to the patients for whom it is used.
Although the study is not free of methodological limitations, and the sample used is still small, the approach remains original and the objective laudable.
