Influence of Aerobic Exercise on Functional Capacity and Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Patients With Parkinson Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective: To determine the effects of aerobic training in randomized controlled clinical trials on functional capacity, motor symptoms, and oxygen consumption in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Data Sources: PUBMED, Web of Science, CINAHL, SciELO, and Medline databases were searched to identify published studies until September 2023. Study Selection: Randomized controlled clinical trials that evaluated the long-term effect of aerobic exercise in individuals with PD were included. Data Extraction: Two independent reviewers extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias and the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. In case of disagreement, a third reviewer was consulted. Data Synthesis: Thirteen studies were included in the systematic review, and the number of participants was 588 with an average age of 66.2 years (57-73y). The study's exercise intervention lasted between 6 and 70 weeks, with most studies lasting 10-12 weeks, with 3 sessions per week and an average duration of 47 minutes per session. The meta-analysis revealed that aerobic exercise is effective in enhancing maximal oxygen uptake (standardized mean difference, SMD 0.42 [95% CI, 0.18, 0.66; P=.0007]) and functional capacity (SMD 0.48 [95% CI, 0.24-0.71; P<.0001]). In addition, aerobic exercise can reduce the motor-unified Parkinson disease rating scale (mean difference-2.48 [95% CI,-3.16 to-1.81; P<.00001]) score in individuals with PD. Conclusions: Aerobic exercise training conducted 2-3 times a week, with different intensities (low to high), can be an effective intervention for enhancing functional capacity, maximizing oxygen uptake, and reducing the UPDRS scores in individuals with PD. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2025;106:134-44 (c) 2024 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.