Rehabilitation therapies in Rett syndrome across the lifespan: A scoping review of human and animal studies

PURPOSE: To perform a scoping review of the evidence for therapeutic interventions to manage functional impairments associated with Rett syndrome (RTT) throughout the lifespan. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Scopus and Index to Chiropractic Literature were searched systematically up to December 2019. Two investigators independently reviewed all search results and extracted those that met the inclusion criteria. Human and animal model studies pertaining to therapies that increase functional ability or treat RTT-associated symptoms in all age groups were included. Relevant studies were grouped into intervention categories and rated using the Oxford Centre of Evidence Based Medicine Levels of Evidence. Demographics of participants, interventions, and outcomes were summarized. RESULTS: Ninety-one articles representing 88 studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 80 were human clinical studies and eight were studies using animal models. Study designs were primarily case series and only six studies involved participants above the age of 40. CONCLUSION: A small number of rigorously studied rehabilitation interventions have been published. Published studies aim to address a wide variety of functional impairments. Research regarding implementation of therapies for older patients with RTT is lacking and requires further exploration.