Exercise Therapy in Down Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Focused on Muscle Strength, Redox Balance, and Inflammatory Profile

ABSTRACT Objective This study systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials investigating the impact of exercise therapy on muscle strength, redox balance, and inflammatory profile in individuals with Down syndrome. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data Sources Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, EMBASE, and PEDro. Eligibility Criteria for Selecting Studies Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials exploring exercise therapy effects on muscle strength and redox balance in individuals with Down syndrome. Although no initial restrictions on age, gender, or health condition were applied during the search process, all included studies focused on adult participants (>18 yr old). No language restrictions were applied, and the search covered the period from 1970 to 2021. Results We assessed the abstract of 1964 studies. Of the 46 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for the period 2004–2021, 32 focused on muscle strength, and 14 examined redox balance and inflammation. A total of 1611 participants with a mean age of 27 yr were included. This review confirmed that different exercise modalities are prone to improve muscle strength (random effect (95% confidence interval): 0.66, 0.54 to 0.78), redox balance and inflammatory profile (random effect (95% confidence interval): −1.04, −1.31 to −0.76) in this population. The multimodel inference suggested that the frequency of training (times per week) might play a significant role in the main effect. Unsupervised machine learning algorithms displayed a pattern-based graphic representation to assess heterogeneity. Conclusions Exercise training demonstrated a positive impact on muscle strength in adults with Down syndrome. The review provides valuable insights into the effects of exercise therapy on individuals with Down syndrome, emphasizing the need for tailored training prescriptions.