The problem of comprehensive physical therapy in polymorbidity (PM) identifies among the most urgent difficulties of modern rehabilitation medicine. It is known that PM are more common than it is generally accepted, and their impact on the endpoints of rehabilitative treatment is more significant. Yet, many problems of PM have not been investigated and properly solved.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of comprehensive physical therapy (CPT) in PM in the age aspect on the basis of correlation analysis and ANOVA indicators (OR, RR, Q, x², r²), as well as evidence-based medicine (EBM), in particular randomized comparative study (RCS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A number of patients with PM equal 554 underwent CPT, of which 204 (36.8%) were male and 350 (63.2%) female. The identified age cohorts were following: the 1st group — 188 (33.9%) patients aged from 45 to 59; the 2nd group — 366 (66.1%) patients aged from 60 to 74. The ratio of middle-aged and elderly patients was 1.9:1.

RESULTS

The efficacy of CPT in patients with PM was judged, first of all, by documentary (medical histories and medical records of patients) and mathematical data (OR, RR, Q, x², r²). The evidence level of CPT effect was determined on the basis of the analysis of the particular method’s study results.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of positive CPT result in middle-aged patients was higher than in elderly. The positive strong statistical correlation between comprehensive physical therapy and the endpoint in most classes of diseases of patients with PM. The comparative assessment of CPT efficacy based on the EBM principles revealed the advantages of their use for elderly patients relative to middle-aged group.