Predicting hand motor recovery in severe stroke: the role of motor evoked potentials in relation to early clinical assessment.

Contains fulltext : 81931.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to compare the predictive value of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and early clinical assessment with regard to long-term hand motor recovery in patients with profound hemiplegia after stroke. METHODS: The sample was an inception cohort of 39 stroke patients with an acute, ischemic, supratentorial stroke and an initial upper-extremity paralysis admitted to an academic hospital. Hand motor function recovery was defined at 26 weeks poststroke as a Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (FMA) hand score>3 points. The following prognostic factors were compared at week 1 and week 3 poststroke: motor functions as assessed by the FMA upper-extremity and lower-extremity subscores, and the presence of an MEP in the abductor digiti minimi and biceps brachii muscle. RESULTS: Both the presence of an abductor digiti minimi-MEP and any motor recovery in the FMA upper-extremity subscore showed a positive predictive value of 1.00 at weeks 1 and 3. The FMA lower-extremity subscore showed the best negative predictive value (0.90; 95% CI 0.78-1.00 at week 1 and 0.95; 95% CI 0.87-1.00 at week 3). CONCLUSIONS: In stroke patients with an initial paralysis of the upper extremity the presence or absence of an MEP has similar predictive value compared with early clinical assessment with regard to long-term hand motor recovery

Cosmetic effect of knee joint in a knee disarticulation prosthesis

Despite numerous advantages, knee disarticulations (KDs) are rarely performed because of the anticipated KD prosthesis fitting problems that include the positioning of the knee joint distally from the KD socket. This results in lengthening of the thigh and subsequent shortening of the shank. The objective of this study was to assess the cosmetic effect of the knee joint in a KD prosthesis by determining the extent of the lengthening of the thigh and the shortening of the shank. This lengthening and shortening were measured through an experimental setup using laser techniques. These measurements were made of 18 knee joints used in KD prostheses. Lengthening of the thigh varied between 23 and 92 mm, and shortening of the shank varied between 3 and 50 mm. The polycentric knees Medi KH6 and Medi KHF1 showed the least lengthening of the thigh, and the polycentric knees Teh Lin Prosthetic & Orthotic Co. Ltd Graph-Lite and Medi KP5 showed the least shortening of the shank

Effects of Unilateral Upper Limb Training in Two Distinct Prognostic Groups Early after Stroke : The EXPLICIT-Stroke Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Objective. Favorable prognosis of the upper limb depends on preservation or return of voluntary finger extension (FE) early after stroke. The present study aimed to determine the effects of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) and electromyography-triggered neuromuscular stimulation (EMG-NMS) on upper limb capacity early poststroke. Methods. A total of 159 ischemic stroke patients were included: 58 patients with a favorable prognosis (>10° of FE) were randomly allocated to 3 weeks of mCIMT or usual care only; 101 patients with an unfavorable prognosis were allocated to 3-week EMG-NMS or usual care only. Both interventions started within 14 days poststroke, lasted up until 5 weeks, focused at preservation or return of FE. Results. Upper limb capacity was measured with the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), assessed weekly within the first 5 weeks poststroke and at postassessments at 8, 12, and 26 weeks. Clinically relevant differences in ARAT in favor of mCIMT were found after 5, 8, and 12 weeks poststroke (respectively, 6, 7, and 7 points;

Barang kemas penambah ceria Aidilfitri

Background and Objective. Favorable prognosis of the upper limb depends on preservation or return of voluntary finger extension (FE) early after stroke. The present study aimed to determine the effects of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) and electromyography-triggered neuromuscular stimulation (EMG-NMS) on upper limb capacity early poststroke. Methods. A total of 159 ischemic stroke patients were included: 58 patients with a favorable prognosis (>10° of FE) were randomly allocated to 3 weeks of mCIMT or usual care only; 101 patients with an unfavorable prognosis were allocated to 3-week EMG-NMS or usual care only. Both interventions started within 14 days poststroke, lasted up until 5 weeks, focused at preservation or return of FE. Results. Upper limb capacity was measured with the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), assessed weekly within the first 5 weeks poststroke and at postassessments at 8, 12, and 26 weeks. Clinically relevant differences in ARAT in favor of mCIMT were found after 5, 8, and 12 weeks poststroke (respectively, 6, 7, and 7 points;

Clinical and genetic characteristics of late-onset Huntington's disease

Background: The frequency of late-onset Huntington's disease (>59 years) is assumed to be low and the clinical course milder. However, previous literature on late-onset disease is scarce and inconclusive. Objective: Our aim is to study clinical characteristics of late-onset compared to common-onset HD patients in a large cohort of HD patients from the Registry database. Methods: Participants with late- and common-onset (30–50 years)were compared for first clinical symptoms, disease progression, CAG repeat size and family history. Participants with a missing CAG repeat size, a repeat size of ≤35 or a UHDRS motor score of ≤5 were excluded. Results: Of 6007 eligible participants, 687 had late-onset (11.4%) and 3216 (53.5%) common-onset HD. Late-onset (n = 577) had significantly more gait and balance problems as first symptom compared to common-onset (n = 2408) (P <.001). Overall motor and cognitive performance (P <.001) were worse, however only disease motor progression was slower (coefficient, −0.58; SE 0.16; P <.001) compared to the common-onset group. Repeat size was significantly lower in the late-onset (n = 40.8; SD 1.6) compared to common-onset (n = 44.4; SD 2.8) (P <.001). Fewer late-onset patients (n = 451) had a positive family history compared to common-onset (n = 2940) (P <.001). Conclusions: Late-onset patients present more frequently with gait and balance problems as first symptom, and disease progression is not milder compared to common-onset HD patients apart from motor progression. The family history is likely to be negative, which might make diagnosing HD more difficult in this population. However, the balance and gait problems might be helpful in diagnosing HD in elderly patients