Article

Effectiveness of thermal stimulation for the moderately to severely paretic leg after stroke :
serial changes at one-year follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the serial changes
of long-term effects of thermal stimulation (TS) on acute stroke patients.
DESIGN: A prospective study with follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months after TS to
assess motor and balance function of the paretic leg of acute stroke patients.
SETTING: A general hospital rehabilitation department. PARTICIPANTS: Poststroke
patients (N=30) with moderate to severe impairment of leg function.
INTERVENTIONS: In addition to receiving standard rehabilitation, eligible
patients were randomly assigned to a TS group (5 thermal stimulations per week
for 6wk) or a control group (3 consultations per week for 6wk). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fugl-Meyer lower extremity score, Medical Research Council Scale for
the Lower Extremity, Berg Balance Scale, Modified Motor Assessment Scale,
Functional Ambulation Classification, and Barthel Index were administered at
baseline, after 4 and 6 weeks of treatment, and at the 3-, 6-, and 12-month
follow-up. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the 2 groups at
baseline. After TS, the Fugl-Meyer lower extremity score, Medical Research
Council Scale for the Lower Extremity, Modified Motor Assessment Scale, and
Functional Ambulation Classification were significantly better in the TS group,
and the effects persisted for 3 months (P<.05). Significant differences were
found between the 2 groups for the Berg Balance Scale and Barthel Index only at
the 3-month follow-up (P<.05). However, all the effects except for the Fugl-Meyer
lower extremity score had disappeared at the 6-month follow-up (P>.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The long-term benefits of TS for patients with acute stroke may be
sustained for 3 months but disappear by the 6-month and
1-year follow-up.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS