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Query: UMLS:C0026838 (spasticity)
 6,471 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The authors assessed whether intensive training increases spasticity and leads to the development of "pathologic movement patterns," a concern often raised by Bobath-trained therapists. The authors used a baseline-control repeated-measures test to study 29 patients with chronic upper limb hemiparesis who received daily shaping training. Their results suggest that training has no adverse effects on muscle tone and movement quality.
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PMID:Intensive training in chronic upper limb hemiparesis does not increase spasticity or synergies. 1559 76

We report a 47-year-old woman with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). She was a carrier of HTLV-I virus, and developed subacute right hemiparesis and marked motor aphasia. She had a malignant lymphoma in the left neck and basal cell carcinoma in the right inguinal region. Three months after the onset, she became unable to walk because of the right leg weakness or to speak because of motor aphasia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multifocal T2-high lesions in the white matter of the left frontal lobe, and a brain biopsy revealed demyelinating pathology. A biopsy of the left parotid gland revealed a diffuse pleomorphic type large B cell lymphoma. Although anti-HTLV-I antibody was positive in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), no adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells were found in the blood or CSF. The patient was then admitted to our hospital. Neurological examinations revealed severe motor aphasia, mild sensory aphasia/cognitive impairment, right hemiplegia, mild right hemihypesthesia, limb-kinetic apraxia in the left hand, idiomotor apraxia, agraphia, perseveration, marked spasticity and brisk tendon reflex in four extremities, and positive bilateral pathological reflexes. MRI showed multifocal T2-high lesions mainly in the cerebral white matter, predominantly in the left hemisphere, and partly in the cerebral cortex. No gadolinium enhancement was found. In addition, 99mTcECD-SPECT showed a broad decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the cortex. Anti-HTLV-I antibody was positive but anti-HIV antibody was negative in serum. ATL cells were found in 1-3% of the peripheral white blood cells after admission. CSF examination revealed that the cell count (1/microl), protein level (24 mg/dl), and IgG index (0.4) were all normal. However, the myelin basic protein level (321 pg/ml; normal < 102) was increased, JC virus DNA was detected by PCR, and anti-HTLV-I antibody (x 8) was detected in CSF. The regulatory region of the JC virus DNA in the CSF was partly deleted; immunostaining with anti-JC virus protein antibodies revealed the existence of JC virus in biopsied brain specimens, and these findings were consistent with PML. Her symptoms such as motor aphasia, cognitive dysfunction and left hemiparesis were subacutely progressive, and she developed akinetic mutism two weeks after admission. Since the efficacy of cytosine arabinoside for PML has been reported, she was administered 80 mg/day of the drug for five days. After treatment, her communication function was mildly improved but the efficacy was transient. Since it has been reported that HTLV-I, as well as HIV, activates the JC virus promoter and its proliferation, the latent infection of HTLV-I in the central nervous system (CNS) in this case might have stimulated the JC virus proliferation, promoting lesion extension over the cerebral cortex. There have been only a few reports of broad decreases in CBF by SPECT in PML patients. Further MRI and SPECT studies on PML patients are therefore necessary to evaluate the significance of HTLV-I in promoting the JC virus infiltration into the CNS.
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PMID:[A case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy presenting white matter MRI lesions extending over the cerebral cortex and a marked decrease in cerebral blood flow on SPECT, and associated with HTLV-I infection]. 1602 67

Thermotherapy is generally considered appropriate for post-stroke patients with spasticity, yet its acute antispastic effects have not been comprehensively investigated. F-wave parameters have been used to demonstrate changes in motor neuron excitability in spasticity and pharmacological antispastic therapy. The present study aimed to confirm the efficacy of thermotherapy for spasticity by evaluating alterations in F-wave parameters in ten male post-stroke patients with spastic hemiparesis (mean age: 49.0+/-15.0 years) and ten healthy male controls (mean age: 48.7+/-4.4 years). The subjects were immersed in water at 41 degrees C for 10 min. Recordings were made over the abductor hallucis muscle, and antidromic stimulation was performed on the tibial nerve at the ankle. Twenty F-waves were recorded before, immediately after, and 30 min following thermotherapy for each subject. F-wave amplitude and F-wave/M-response ratio were determined. Changes in body temperature and surface-skin temperature were monitored simultaneously. The mean and maximum values of both F-wave parameters were higher on the affected side before thermotherapy. In the post-stroke patients, the mean and maximum values of both parameters were significantly reduced after thermotherapy (P<0.01). Hence, the antispastic effects of thermotherapy were indicated by decreased F-wave parameters. Body temperature was significantly increased both immediately after and 30 min after thermotherapy in all subjects. This appeared to play an important role in decreased spasticity. Surface-skin temperature increased immediately after thermotherapy in both groups and returned to baseline 30 min later. These findings demonstrate that thermotherapy is an effective nonpharmacological antispastic treatment that might facilitate stroke rehabilitation.
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PMID:Short-term effects of thermotherapy for spasticity on tibial nerve F-waves in post-stroke patients. 1637 68

The presence of alterations in the muscular tone and in the normal motorial synergies at an articular level causes interferences in the functional recovery of patients with stroke consequences. In the rehabilitative field there are some aids that are useful to replace the compromised functions and to make the patient as autonomous as possible in the common movements of the everyday life. The orthoses are used mainly in two cases: to prevent and/or to contain myofascial retractions (spasticity passive component) and to improve the neuromuscolar control of movement through integration of a partially or totally insufficient function. Hemiparesis patients mainly show synergy alteration of the heel muscles and especially of the peroneus, with the consequent tendency of equinism-supination deviation. Analysis of literature shows a scientific validation especially in the use of dynamic orthoses of legs, the most known being the ankle-foot-orthoses.
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PMID:Aids and orthoses in patients with stroke consequences. 1683 50

Spasticity is velocity and acceleration dependent, and it is therefore important to execute physiotherapeutic exercises at a relatively low and constant velocity. This can be more accurately managed by a robot than by a person when such exercises are administered continuously for more than 15-20 min. The purpose of this project was to construct a robot-mediated system that could support upper limb physiotherapy of patients with spastic hemiparesis. The system, unlike any known robotic therapeutic system, uses unmodified industrial robots to carry out passive physiotherapy on the upper limb (including the movements of the shoulder and the elbow). An initial trial was executed in order to assess its safety and to gain experience of the robot-mediated therapy. Four healthy subjects and eight patients with spastic hemiparesis were included. Each subject received 30-min-long robotic physiotherapy sessions over 20 consecutive workdays. The 12 participants received, in total, 240 robot-mediated physiotherapeutic sessions. No dangerous situation or considerable technical problem occurred; the robots executed the therapy programme as intended. Investigation of the effectiveness of this kind of therapy was not an aim of this initial trial; however, the patients' clinical status was followed and some favourable changes were found regarding the spasticity of elbow flexors and shoulder abductors. According to the experiences of the first clinical investigation, the programming interface and the mechanical interface device between the patient and the robots had been improved. A controlled clinical study is under way to assess the effectiveness of the REHAROB movement therapy.
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PMID:A novel robot training system designed to supplement upper limb physiotherapy of patients with spastic hemiparesis. 1690 48

Previous studies have shown that deficits in agonist-antagonist muscle activation in the single-joint elbow system in patients with spastic hemiparesis are directly related to limitations in the range of regulation of the thresholds of muscle activation. We extended these findings to the double-joint, shoulder-elbow system in these patients. Ten non-disabled individuals and 11 stroke survivors with spasticity in upper limb muscles participated. Stroke survivors had sustained a single unilateral stroke 6-36 months previously, had full pain-free passive range of motion of the affected shoulder and elbow and had some voluntary control of the arm. EMG activity from four elbow and two shoulder muscles was recorded during quasi-static (<5 degrees /s) stretching of elbow flexors/extensors and during slow voluntary elbow flexion/extension movement through full range. Stretches and active movements were initiated from full elbow flexion or extension with the shoulder in three different initial positions (60 degrees , 90 degrees , 145 degrees horizontal abduction). SRTs were defined as the elbow angle at which EMG signals began to exceed 2SD of background noise. SRT angles obtained by passive muscle stretch were compared with the angles at which the respective muscles became activated during voluntary elbow movements. SRTs in elbow flexors were correlated with clinical spasticity scores. SRTs of elbow flexors and extensors were within the biomechanical range of the joint and varied with changes in the shoulder angle in all subjects with hemiparesis but could not be reached in this range in all healthy subjects when muscles were initially relaxed. In patients, limitations in the regulation of SRTs resulted in a subdivision of all-possible shoulder-elbow arm configurations into two areas, one in which spasticity was present ("spatial spasticity zone") and another in which it was absent. Spatial spasticity zones were different for different muscles in different patients but, taken together, for all elbow muscles, the zones occupied a large part of elbow-shoulder joint space in each patient. The shape of the boundary between the spasticity and no-spasticity zones depended on the state of reflex inter-joint interaction. SRTs in single- and double-joint flexor muscles correlated with the positions at which muscles were activated during voluntary movements, for all shoulder angles, and this effect was greater in elbow flexor muscles (brachioradialis, biceps brachii). Flexor SRTs correlated with clinical spasticity in elbow flexors only when elbow muscles were at mid-length (90 degrees ). These findings support the notion that motor impairments after CNS damage are related to deficits in the specification and regulation of SRTs, resulting in the occurrence of spasticity zones in the space of elbow-shoulder configurations. It is suggested that the presence of spatial spasticity zones might be a major cause of motor impairments in general and deficits in inter-joint coordination in particular in patients with spasticity.
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PMID:Relationship between stretch reflex thresholds and voluntary arm muscle activation in patients with spasticity. 1747 86

Poststroke hemiparesis, together with abnormal muscle tone, is a major cause of morbidity and disability. Although most hemiparetic patients are able to reach different ambulatory levels with rehabilitation efforts, upper and lower limb spasticity can impede activities of daily living, personal hygiene, ambulation and, in some cases, functional improvement. The goals of spasticity management include increasing mobility and range of motion, attaining better hygiene, improving splint wear and other functional activities. Conservative measures, such as positioning, stretching and exercise are essential in spasticity management, but alone often are inadequate to effectively control it. Oral antispastic medications often provide limited effects with short duration and frequent unwanted systemic side effects, such as weakness, sedation and dry mouth. Therefore, neuromuscular blockade by local injections have become the first choice for the treatment of focal spasticity, particularly in stroke patients. Botulinum toxin (BTX), being one of the most potent biological toxins, acts by blocking neuromuscular transmission via inhibiting acetylcholine release. Currently, focal spasticity is being treated successfully with BTX via injecting in the spastic muscles. Two antigenically distinct serotypes of BTX are available on the market as type A and B. Clinical studies of BTX used for spastic hemiplegic patients are reviewed in this article in two major categories, upper and lower limb applications. This review addresses efficacy in terms of outcome measures, such as muscle tone reduction and functional outcome, as well as safety issues. Application modifications of dose, dilutions, site of injections and combination therapies with BTX injections are also discussed.
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PMID:Botulinum toxin in poststroke spasticity. 1760 49

Post-stroke spasticity is an important cause of disability in adults, due to muscle hyperactivity, which results in limb stiffness and muscle spasm. The prognosis for these patients depends on several features such as early management and adequate physical therapy to avoid muscle shortening, pain, and their consequences. Although several papers have shown that intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin type A (BT-A) decreases spasticity in post-stroke patients, few authors have demonstrated functional improvement after this therapy. In order to assess if individualized BT-A injections improves upper limb function in post-stroke spastic patients, we prospectively followed 20 consecutive patients of 18 years of age or more with spastic hemiparesis secondary to stroke. Fulg-Meyer scale modified for upper limbs, measure of functional independence (MFI), Ashworth modified scale, and goniometry were applied in the beginning of the investigation and in the 16th and 32nd weeks. BT-A was applied at baseline and in the 16th week. All subjects were submitted to rehabilitation therapy. All patients showed improvement according to Ashworth modified scale and increase in the range of motion, which were sustained until the 32nd week (p<0.05). The assessment of the first three parameters of the Fulg-Meyer scale and the evaluations of the motor part of the Functional Independence Measure showed statistically improvement until the end of the study. We conclude that proper choice of muscles and individualized doses of BT-A can improve function in selected post-stroke patients.
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PMID:Does botulinum toxin improve the function of the patient with spasticity after stroke? 1787 96

The aim of this study was to estimate the strength of spastic muscles using Biodex System 3 within a group of patients with hemiparesis in after-stroke population. Measurements of the moments of force in elbow flexors and extensors of both spastic and non-spastic limbs were conducted under isostatic conditions. We analysed the values obtained for both limbs in order to determine the spasticity level on an Ashworth scale (0-4). The subjects were 10 patients with hemiparesis and varying spasticity selected from an after-stroke population. The analysis showed that spastic muscles activated less force than non-spastic muscles of the same patient. Furthermore, in a spastic limb, higher values of force were noted in the flexors than in the extensors of the elbow. In a non-spastic limb, the values of force were higher in the extensors of the elbow joint than in flexors. It is worth adding that the dynamics of force exposure, defined by a gradient of force, was much lower in spastic muscles than in non-spastic ones. Objective estimation of muscle force can be done by measuring the moments of force in particular groups of muscles upon the isokinetic contraction appearing. The repeatability of measurements may enable the kind of kinesitherapy to be determined as well as the assessment of the effectiveness of exercises in regard to force increase and dynamics of spastic muscles.
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PMID:Objective measurements of muscle force in a group of after-stroke patients with hemiparesis. 1793 1

A woman with spastic hemiparesis from a stroke was injected with botulinum toxin type B (BoNTB) at a dose of 10,000 U. Although this had the desired effect of a reduction in her spasticity, she also developed severe dry mouth, which became refractory to local remedies such as moist towels, lip balms, and throat lozenges. She was then given pilocarpine (a muscarinic agonist) at a dose of 5 mg, three times a day, to which she responded well. This report describes another treatment option in rare cases of severe dry mouth after administration of BoNTB.
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PMID:Pilocarpine for the treatment of refractory dry mouth (xerostomia) associated with botulinum toxin type B. 1864 25


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