Effect of Botulinum Toxin A for Upper Limb Function in Post Stroke Spastic Hemiplegia

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Botulinum Toxin A (BoNT-A) is one of the therapeutic methods for the spastic decrement of the upper limb which appears from the patient after stroke. Decrement of stiffness is announced from many studies, but the effect of functional improvement was few examined closely so far clearly. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of BoNT-A for the improvement of upper limb function in post stroke spastic hemiplegia. METHOD: Eleven chronic stroke patients (mean age 44.4 years) were included and injected BoNT-A (Dysport®, Ipsen, UK) according to degree of stiffness of each individual. Motor assessment scale, Box and Block test, Peg board test, Ashworth Scale, manual muscle test, Visual analogue scale, and subject satisfaction were applied at the baseline, and 1 week, 1, 2 and 3 months after interventions. All subjects were also submitted to ongoing rehabilitation therapy. RESULTS: Motor assessment scale results were statistically significant improvements at 1, 2 and 3 months after intervention (p<0.05). Also, statistically significant decreases in muscle tone as determined by the Ashworth scale were found at 1 week, 1, 2 and 3 months after injections (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Botulinum Toxin A could derive the functional improvements as well as the tone reduction of upper limb in post stroke spastic hemiplegia.