PHYSIOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IN PATIENTS AFFECTED BY THE SYNDROME OF SPOAN: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT

Abstract

The SPOAN syndrome is a neurodegenerative disease of autosomal recessive inheritance that causes atrophy of muscles of the upper and lower limbs of the affected individuals. The disease had its initial characterization carried out in individuals originating in the upper western part of the city of Serrinha dos Pintos, State of Rio Grande do Norte, by researchers from the Center for Human Genome Studies and Hospital das Clinicas of the University of Sao Paulo in the year 2005. Its clinical characteristics include: congenital and atrophic optic atrophy Progressive spastic paraplegia, with early onset of life, axonal neuropathy, with clinical onset after the first decade of life, startle response with unexpected sounds, dysarthria, spinal and foot deformities, and extrapyramidal signs. The present text aims to report the cases of patients with SPOAN under the physiotherapeutic assistance of the Expanded Nucleus of Family Health (NASF) in the city of Serrinha dos Pintos-RN. Experience report: This is an experience report on the care of patients with SPOAN syndrome assisted by the municipality's NASF. In the municipality there were 14 patients with SPOAN, but only 4 (28.5%) of these patients attended the physiotherapeutic care. The treatment lasted an average of 40-50 minutes, with moderate resting pauses between sessions. They consisted of: passive joint mobilization exercises, scapular and pelvic girdle dissociation exercises, intra-articular mobilization exercises, stretching, muscle strengthening , respiratory exercises, myofascial release, Kabat methods, Bobath and Pilates, electrotherapy, and auriculotherapy. Final considerations: Physiotherapic care given to patients with SPOAN syndrome is considered to be extremely important for the preservation of functionality of these patients, since there is a satisfactory clinical evolution, with improvement of muscular strength and flexibility, range of joint movement and respiratory capacity. Therefore, future studies regarding the diagnosis and prognosis of SPOAN are necessary, since early appropriate therapeutic intervention allows the best functional outcome.