Abstract
Objective
To investigate sympathetic nervous system functions in patients with acute and chronic
phase of stroke by measuring sympathetic skin reflex (SSR) and the relationship between
sympathetic dysfunction and motor function capacity.
Design
Cross-sectional, case-control study.
Setting
A physical medicine and rehabilitation department in a research hospital of a university
referral center in Turkey.
Participants
Fifty-six patients with stroke—13 in the acute phase and 43 in the chronic phase—and
42 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included.
Intervention
SSR was recorded with electric stimulation of the bilateral median nerves.
Main outcome measures
SSR was recorded to assess sympathetic reflex activity in patients in the acute and
chronic phase of stroke and in controls. Motor functions was classified using the
Brunnstrom stages.
Results
The mean SSR latency in the acute phase was significantly prolonged and the amplitudes
were decreased compared with controls. In the chronic phase, the mean amplitudes were
significantly attenuated compared with controls, whereas the mean latency did not
change. The mean latency of SSR in patients in Brunnstrom groups 1 and 2 was longer,
and the mean amplitude was smaller than in controls (P<.05). The mean amplitude was significantly reduced in patients classified as Brunnstrom
groups 3 and 4 compared with controls (P<.05), but the mean latency was not affected.
Conclusions
Depression of sympathetic reflex activity was more prominent in the acute phase of
stroke and was associated with moderate or highly limited motor function capacity.
Improvement of motor dysfunction may parallel recovery of sympathetic reflex activity.
Keywords
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Article info
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Copyright
© 2004 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
