This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Weller, P. Articles by Seitz, R. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Weller, P. Articles by Seitz, R. J. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Motor Recovery as Assessed with Isometric Finger Movements and Perfusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging after Acute Ischemic Stroke

Department of Neurology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

Hans-Jörg Wittsack, PhD

Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

Mario Siebler, MD

Department of Neurology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany, Biomedical Research Center, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

Volker Hömberg, MD

Neurological Therapy Center, Düsseldorf, Germany

Rüdiger J. Seitz, MD

Department of Neurology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany, Biomedical Research Center, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany, Brain Imaging Center West, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany, Seitz{at}neurologie.uni-duesseldorf.de

Objective. Recovery from hemiparetic stroke is variable. An important goal for clinicians and clinical researchers is to identify predictors of recovery. The initial phase after acute ischemic stroke is considered to be of major importance for neurological outcome. The authors sought to determine in patients with acute ischemic stroke whether early motor recovery, as measured by repetitive isometric index-thumb oppositions, is correlated with ischemic lesion volume. Methods. Thirty-six acute hemiparetic stroke patients with residual hand function were investigated. The European Stroke Scale (ESS) score was determined on admission and at discharge. Performance of repetitive index finger-thumb pinch movements was measured daily during the 1st 8 days after stroke onset. Brain ischemia volume was determined digitally in time-to-peak magnetic resonance images of per-fusion. Results. The recovery of patients with (P = 0.002) and without (P < 0.001) thrombolysis as assessed with the ESS was paralleled by an increase in isometric grip force and movement rate (P < 0.05). Recovery was predicted by the area of moderately impaired perfusion indicated by the per-fusion mismatch volume (r = 0.578, P < 0.001). Conclusions. In acute stroke, recovery of hand function is predicted by the volume of salvageable ischemic tissue, as determined by the perfusion mismatch.

Key Words: Stroke • Recovery • Movement kinetics • Perfusion mismatch

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. H. Dobkin Behavioral, Temporal, and Spatial Targets for Cellular Transplants as Adjuncts to Rehabilitation for Stroke Stroke, February 1, 2007; 38(2): 832 - 839. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]