Effects of prolonged interruption of rehabilitation routines in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

Rehabilitation treatment routines in palliative care, such as physiotherapy and speech therapy, appear to mitigate the ALSFRS-R slope. Prolonged interruption of rehabilitation during the lockdown may have accelerated the functional decline in ALS patients' motor skills with as measured after 2 months by the ALSFRS-R in the limb and bulbar subscores, but not respiratory subscore. Other short-term effects, increased fatigue and negative impact on QoL, were also verified.