Article

PURPOSE: To describe the nature, extent, and impact of spasticity; determine
factors that are perceived to influence its severity; and examine the
relationship between time since diagnosis and impact of spasticity on daily
activities in people with stroke and multiple sclerosis (MS) who are receiving
botulinum toxin injection treatments. METHODS: After a cross-sectional telephone
survey, descriptive statistics and correlations were analyzed separately for the
stroke and MS groups. RESULTS: A total of 29 people with stroke and 10 with MS
were surveyed. Both groups perceived increased spasticity with outdoor cold (69%
stroke, 60% MS), muscle fatigue (59% stroke, 80% MS), and mental stress (59%
stroke, 90% MS). No statistically significant correlations were found between
time since diagnosis and perceived impact of spasticity on function in the stroke
(r=0.07, p=0.37) or MS (r=0.16, p=0.33) groups. The MS group experienced
bilateral and more severe perception of spasticity in the legs than the stroke
group and identified more factors as worsening their spasticity (p<0.05).
Severity of leg (but not arm) spasticity was significantly correlated with
severity of impact of the following factors in the MS group only: lying on the
back (r=0.70, p<0.05), outdoor heat (r=0.61, p<0.05), and morning (r=0.59,
p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Intrinsic and extrinsic triggers can influence the
perception of spasticity differently depending on individual factors, severity,
location (arm vs. leg), and distribution of spasticity (unilateral vs.
bilateral). Clinicians can use the findings to better understand, educate, and
treat people with stroke and MS.

Langue : ANGLAIS