Article

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of arm motor impairment on actual arm use in the
early post-stroke period and explore its association with self-care dependency.
SUBJECTS: Thirty-one patients recruited within the 30 first days after stroke.
METHODS: Motor impairment of the upper extremity was measured with Fugl-Meyer
Motor Assessment (FMA) and arm use was measured with accelerometry. Arm movement
ratio (AMR), the ratio of arm use duration between the more and less affected
arm, was calculated. Self-care dependency was defined as needing personal
assistance in primary self-care activities. RESULTS: FMA of the more affected arm
was strongly associated with AMR (Spearman's correlation coefficient -0.851,
p>0.001), although some patients deviated considerably from the regression line.
Covariates did not have any influence on this relation. Both arm motor function
and actual arm use related to self-care dependency, but were no longer
significant when we controlled for lower extremity motor function. CONCLUSION:
FMA and AMR correlated highly in the early post-stroke period. These measures
relate to different dimensions of the International Classification of Functioning
and Health, and could be supplementary measures to reveal non-use of the affected
arm. Arm use and arm impairment were not significantly associated with self-care
dependency in our sample.

Langue : ANGLAIS