Botulinum toxin type A plus rehabilitative training for improving the motor function of the upper limbs and activities of daily life in patients with stroke and brain injury

BACKGROUND:Botulinum toxin type A(BTX-A)is mostly to be used to treat various diseases of motor disorders,whereas its effect on muscle spasm after stroke and brain injury needs further observation.OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of BTX-A plus rehabilitative training on treating muscle spasm after stroke and brain injury.DESIGN:A randomized controlled observation.SETTINGS:Department of Rehabilitation,Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery,the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University.PARTICIPANTS:Sixty inpatients with brain injury and stroke were selected from the Department of Rehabilitation,Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery,the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2001 to August 2006.They were all confirmed by CT and MRI,and had obvious increase of spastic muscle strength in upper limbs,their Ashworth grades were grade 2 or above.The patients were randomly divided into treatment group(n=30)and control group(n=30).METHODS:①Patients in the treatment group undertook comprehensive rehabilitative trainings,and they were administrated with domestic BTX-A,which was provided by Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products,Ministry of Health(S10970037),and the muscles of flexion spasm were selected for upper limbs,20-25 IU for each site.②Patients in the treatment group were assessed before injection and at 1 and 2 weeks,1 and 3 months after injection respectively,and those in the control group were assessed at corresponding time points.The recovery of muscle spasm was assessed by modified Ashworth scale(MAS,grade 0-Ⅳ;Grade 0 for without increase of muscle strength;GradeⅣfor rigidity at passive flexion and extension);The recovery of motor function of the upper limbs was evaluated with Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA,total score was 226 points,including 100 for exercise,14 for balance,24 for sense,44 for joint motion,44 for pain and 66 for upper limb);The ADL were evaluated with Barthel index,the total score was 100 points,60 for mild dysfunction,60-41 for moderate dysfunction,<40 for severe dysfunction).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Changes of MAS grade,FMA scores and Barthel index before and after BTX-A injection.RESULTS:All the 60 patients with brain injury and stroke were involved in the analysis of results.①FMA scores of upper limbs:The FMA score in the treatment group at 2 weeks after treatment was higher than that before treatment[(14.98±10.14),(13.10±9.28)points,P<0.05],whereas there was no significant difference at corresponding time point in the control group.The FMA scores at 1 and 3 months in the treatment group[(23.36±10.69),(35.36±11.36)points]were higher than those in the control group[(20.55±10.22),(30.33±10.96)points,P<0.01].②MAS grades of upper limbs:There were obviously fewer cases of gradeⅢin MAS at 2 weeks after treatment than before treatment in the treatment group(0,9 cases,P<0.05),whereas there was no obvious difference in the control group.There were obviously fewer cases of gradeⅢin MAS at 2 weeks and 1 month after treatment in the treatment group(0,0 case)than the control group(5,2 cases,P<0.01).③Barthel index of upper limbs:The Barthel index at 2 weeks after treatment was higher than that before treatment in the treatment group[(30.36±22.25),(28.22±26.21)points,P<0.05],whereas there was no significant difference in the control group.The Barthel indexes at 1 and 3 months after treatment in the treatment group were obviously higher than those in the control group[(20.55±10.22),(30.33±10.96)points,P<0.01].CONCLUSION:BTX-A has obvious efficacy on decreasing muscle tension after stroke and brain injury,and relieving muscle spasm;Meanwhile,the combination with rehabilitative training can effectively ameliorate the motor function of upper limbs and ADL of the patients.

Evaluation of the Curative Effect of "Xingnao Kaiqiao" Acupuncture Based on Brunnstrom Staging on Upper Limb and Hand Motor Function in the Recovery Period after Stroke

Objective: To observe the effects of Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture(醒脑开窍针) on the motor function of upper limb and hand in the recovery period after stroke. Methods: Seventy-six cases of hemiplegia patients with ischemic stroke were divided into the treatment group and the control group(n=38 in each). Based on the Brunnstrom's stage of Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training was used in the treatment group, and the control group was given rehabilitation training. FuglMeyer Assessment of the upper extremity(FMA-UE), Action Research Arm Test(ARAT) and Simple Test for Evaluating hand Function(STEF) were adopted separately to compare scores before treatment and 8 weeks after treatment. Results: The difference was not statistically significant in the two groups of patients for comparison of FMA-UE, ARAT and STEF scores before treatment(P>0.05). The difference was statistically significant in the two groups of score comparison of FMA-UE, ARAT and STEF after treatment(P<0.05). Conclusion: The Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture has its unique advantages in improving recovery of motor function of upper limb and hand in recovery period after stroke.

Impacts of the combined treatment of Tongdu Tiaoshen moxibustion and rehabilitation training on the motor function recovery of the upper limbs in the patients with apoplectic hemiplegia

Objective:To observe the impacts of the combined treatment of Tongdu Tiaoshen moxibustion(moxibustion for promoting the circulation of the governor vessel and regulating the spirit)and rehabilitation training on the motor function recovery in the patients with apoplectic hemiplegia.Methods:A total of 50 patients with apoplectic hemiplegia and qualified in the trial recruitment criteria were divided into two groups according to random number table,25 cases in each group.In the control group,the simple rehabilitation training was provided.In the observation group,on the base of the treatment as the control group,Tongdu Tiaoshen moxibustion was given.Main acupoints:Baihul(百会GV20),Fengfu(风府GV16)and Dazhui(大椎GV14).The treatment was given once a day,6 treatments a week,4 weeks as one course and two courses of treatment were required.Before and after treatment,the scores of Fugle-Meyer assessment(FMA),the modified Barthel index(MBI)and action research arm test(ARAT)were detected before and after treatment in the two groups separately.Results:After 4 and 8 weeks of treatment,the scores of FMA,MBI and ARAT were all improved obviously as compared with those before treatment respectively in patients of the two groups(all P<0.01).After8 weeks of treatment,the score of each scale in the observation group was more obviously improved as compared with the control group(all P<0.05).The difference in the clinical therapeutic effect was significant statistically between the two groups(P=0.005).Conclusion:The combined treatment of Tongdu Tiaoshen moxibustion and rehabilitation training promotes the recovery of the upper limb motor function and improves the self-ability of living activities in the patients with apoplectic hemiplegia.The long-term effect of this combined therapy is superior to that of simple rehabilitation training.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of brain function reorganization in cerebral stroke patients after constraint-induced movement therapy

In this study, stroke patients received constraint-induced movement therapy for 3 weeks. Before and after constraint-induced movement therapy, the flexibility of their upper limbs on the affected side was assessed using the Wolf motor function test, and daily use of their affected limbs was assessed using the movement activities log, and cerebral functional reorganization was assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. The Wolf motor function test score and the movement activities log quantity and quality scores were significantly increased, while action performance time in the Wolf motor function test was significantly decreased after constraint-induced movement therapy. By functional magnetic resonance imaging examination, only scattered activation points were visible on the affected side before therapy. In contrast, the volume of the activated area was increased after therapy. The activation volume in the sensorimotor area was significantly different before and after therapy, and the activation area increased and appeared adjusted. In addition to the activated area around the lesions being decreased, there were also some new activated areas, including the supplementary movement area, premotor area and the ipsilateral sensorimotor area. Our findings indicate that constraint-induced movement therapy significantly improves the movement ability and daily use of the affected upper limbs in stroke patients and promotes cerebral functional reorganization.

A novel glasses-free virtual reality rehabilitation system on improving upper limb motor function among patients with stroke:A feasibility pilot study

Background:Virtual reality(VR)technology is increasingly used in stroke rehabilitation.This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using the glasses-free VR training to improve motor function of upper limb in patients with stroke.Methods:Twelve patients with stroke were recruited to participate in the intervention of 3 weeks.At the baseline and post intervention,two times of evaluation including Fugl-Meyer upper-extremity scale(FMS-UE),transcranial magnetic stimulation(TMS)measurement and motion evaluation were performed.Results:No significant difference was observed between two groups at baseline evaluation.After the intervention,the FMS-UE scores presented a greater improvement in the VR group compared with the control group.TMS measurement showed that there was significant difference in cortex latency and central motor conduction time between two groups after the intervention,but no significant difference in the amplitude of motor event potential was observed.In addition,there was a significant correlation between game scores and FMS-UE scores.Conclusions:The novel glasses-free VR training was at least as effective as conventional occupational therapy in upper limb motor function,improving nerve conduction time and corticospinal excitability in patient with stroke.