Stabilometer test for the quantified evaluation of equilibrium function in stroke patients with hemiplegia

Lei LEI; Changshui WENG; Chengjun ZHAO; Dongyi HAN

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The patients with hemiplegia of stroke commonly appear balance disturbance and the mean of assessment on it is applied in quality commonly. But the implementation of assessment on rehabilitation schedule and therapeutic results requires much more quantitative standards on balance function.

OBJECTIVE:

To probe into interrelationship between every parameter of stabilometer test and variables in other function evaluations in the patients with hemiplegia of stroke as well as the value of evaluation on functional recovery in the patients with hemiplegia of stroke.

DESIGN:

Quantitative assessment based on the qualitative assessment.

SETTING:

Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in General Hospital of Chinese PLA.

PARTICIPANTS:

Nineteen first-attack cases of hemiplegia of stroke received rehabilitation treatment in Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of General Hospital of Chinese PLA from September 2002 to April 2003, diagnosed as disorder of cerebral hemisphere on lateral internal carotid artery. Of those, 14 cases were males, 5 cases females; aged varied from 33 to 55 years and the course of sickness was at the range from 0.5 to 4 months.

METHODS:

Nineteen patients with hemiplegia of stroke received functional independence measures(FIM), timed up-go test(TUGT), Berg balance scale (BBS) and evaluation on balance measure with stabilometer. Of those, stabilometer is a kind of quantitative analysis method, including the parameters of total length of locus, speed, peripheral area, average central changing site of X wavering direction, average central changing site of Y wavering direction, etc.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the interrelationship between every parameter measured with stabilometer and other measured functional variables.

RESULTS:

By intention-to-treat management analysis, 19 cases of hemiplegia of stroke all entered analysis on results. Among the parameters of stabilometer test, the moderate negative correlation presented in the comparison of total length of locus, speed and peripheral area with BBS during eyes opened and closed ( r = - 0. 475 to - 0. 705, P ＜ 0.05), of which, the correlation between peripheral area and BBS score during eyes closed was better(r= -0.475, P ＜ 0. 05) . Correlation did not present in the comparison of average central changing site of X wavering direction and average central changing site of Y wavering direction with BBS during eyes opened and closed( r = - 0. 346 to 0. 234, P ＞ 0.05) . Moderate positive correlation presented in the comparison of TUGT result with total length of locus, speed and peripheral area during eyes closed( r = 0. 508 to 0. 583, P ＜ 0.05). The correlation did not present in the comparison of the parameters determined with stabilometer and FIM ( r = - 0. 048 to - 0. 296, P ＞ 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Stabilometer test can determine balance function in quantity in patients with hemiplegia of stroke, and reflect the severity of balance disturbance, of which, total length of locus speed and peripheral area during eyes opened and closed can judge balance function of patients sensibly and reliably.