OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of decreased
Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) and
hand grip strength on functional recovery in subacute ambulatory
stroke patients .
METHODS: Subacute
stroke patients who were referred to the
rehabilitation center were recruited. Decreased SMI and
hand grip strength were diagnosed according to the
Asian Working Group on
Sarcopenia . Diagnostic criteria were decreased SMI and decreased unaffected
hand grip strength . SMI was measured by
bioelectrical impedance analysis . Unaffected
hand grip strength was measured with a
hand dynamometer.
Patients were divided into two groups, decreased group (DG) and not-decreased group (NDG), according to the presence of decreased SMI and
hand grip strength . Both groups received conventional
stroke rehabilitation for 3 weeks. All
patients were evaluated at the baseline and at 3 weeks
after treatment .
Functional status was evaluated with 4-meter
walk test (4MWT),
6-minute walk test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI).
RESULTS: Both groups showed improvement in 4MWT, TUG, and MBI. NDG showed improvement in 6MWT. Comparing improvements between the two groups, NDG showed more improvement in 6MWT and TUG than DG.
CONCLUSION: The presence of decreased SMI and
hand grip strength had negative effects on functional recovery in subacute ambulatory
stroke patients .