The aim of this pilot study is to investigate the effect of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) in decreasing constipation symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). A second but optional aim is to determine if OMM changes the bacterial flora of the mouth and gut. OMM is a safe and gentle manual treatment provided by osteopathic physicians. All participants will receive OMM during the second half of the eleven week trial.
PD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which includes motor and non-motor (autonomic) symptoms, such as constipation. OMM has been shown to improve constipation symptoms in non-diseased subjects and cerebral palsy subjects. Constipation will be measured before, during, and after treatment by a constipation scoring system (Cleveland Criteria) to measure the severity of constipation and by the Bristol Stool Scale to measure colonic transit time. The study subjects' assessment of their constipation symptoms (PAC-SYM) and quality of life (PAC-QOL) will also be measured throughout the study. Studies have also shown that there is a difference in the gut and oral bacterial flora of constipated versus healthy adults, so subjects will be given the option to provide weekly stool samples for analysis to track bacterial colonies and to observe for any flora changes over the study period. This will provide data to determine if bacterial colonies in stool are altered by OMM. The study will require ten weekly on-site visits over the course of eleven weeks. For the first half of the study, surveys and optional stool tests will be performed without OMM treatment for four weeks to obtain baseline data. For the second half of the study, all subjects will receive OMM for four weeks along with surveys and optional stool microbial tests to obtain the experimental data.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
OMM is a gentle hands-on treatment that helps to reduce myofascial restrictions and improve joint range of motion. In doing so, it can address the mechanical, neurologic, and respiratory functions of the body
New York Institute of Technology- Academic Health Care Center
Old Westbury, New York, United States
RECRUITINGConstipation Scoring System (Cleveland Criteria)
A standardized form measuring bowel movement patterns will be completed by the subject five times over the study period to see if there is a difference in constipation severity between the period with no OMT and the period with OMT
Time frame: 11 week period
Bristol Stool Scale
A visual standardized stool chart will be used by the subject and study investigator nine times over the study period to visually categorize the shape of the stools to see if there is a difference in colonic transit time between the period with no OMT and the period with OMT
Time frame: 11 week period
PAC-SYM©
A standardized form will be completed by the subject five times over the study period to assess constipation symptoms to see if there is a difference between the period with no OMT and the period with OMT
Time frame: 11 week period
PAC-QOL©
A standardized form will be completed by the subject five times over the study period to assess the impact of constipation on daily life to see if there is a difference between the period with no OMT and the period with OMT
Time frame: 11 week period
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