This Article Full Text (OnlineFirst PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1545968308324227v1 23/4/351    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted 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 Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Klaiput, A. Articles by Kitisomprayoonkul, W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Klaiput, A. Articles by Kitisomprayoonkul, W. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Stroke Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Increase Pinch Strength of Acute and Subacute Stroke Patients After Simultaneous Median and Ulnar Sensory Stimulation

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: wkitisom{at}yahoo.co.th.

	Abstract

Background. Peripheral nerve stimulation may induce cortical adaptations as it improves pinch strength in chronic stroke patients immediately after stimulation. Objective. Test the effects of peripheral sensory stimulation on pinch strength in patients with acute and subacute stroke. Methods. Stroke patients (N = 20) who had onset less than 6 months previously and could voluntarily pinch the thumb to the index finger participated in a randomized, single-blinded, controlled study. Ten patients received 2 hours of simultaneous electrical stimulation over the median and ulnar nerves at the wrist to the level of appreciating paresthesias (peripheral sensory stimulation group). Ten control patients received stimulation to the level of perception (sham-control group). Pinch strength of the thumb pad to tip and to lateral side of the index finger of the paretic hand and the Action Research Arm test were tested before and immediately after the stimulation. Results. Lateral and tip pinch strength were significantly increased in both groups (P < .05). Mean ± SD of increased lateral pinch strength of peripheral sensory stimulation and sham-control groups were 1.24 ± 0.54 pounds and 0.20 ± 0.28 pounds, respectively. Mean ± SD of increased tip pinch strength of peripheral sensory stimulation and sham-control groups were 1.00 ± 0.72 pounds and 0.37 ± 0.36 pounds, respectively. Increase pinch strength of the peripheral sensory stimulation group was greater than the sham-control group, with significant difference (P < .05). The Action Research Arm test was not significantly changed after stimulation in both groups (P > .05). Conclusion. Peripheral sensory stimulation of the paretic hand may increase pinch strength of acute and subacute stroke patients immediately after stimulation.

First published on November 3, 2008, doi:10.1177/1545968308324227

Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair 2009;23:351.

A more recent version of this article appeared on May 1, 2009


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