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- Title
Infrared thermography assessment of patients with stroke under neuromuscular blockade intervention - A Pilot Study.
- Authors
Aquino dos Santos, Artur Cesar; Marcon Alfieri, Fábio; Rizzo Battistella, Linamara
- Abstract
INTRODDUCTION: Spasticity, motor sequelae of stroke, can be treated by botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) neuromuscular blockade, an intervention that requires follow-up by a trained professional. Infrared thermography can be an alternative for remote assessment of spasticity, however, it is not yet established. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the association between spasticity and thermo-asymmetry between the plegic and contralateral limbs of patients with stroke treated with BoNT-A. METHODS: This is a pilot study of eight patients with motor sequelae of stroke. Lower limb spasticity was measured with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and cutaneous temperature with infrared thermography. The assessments were collected immediately before the intervention and one, two, and three months after BoNT-A application. The variables were analyzed in association by linear regression where the dependent variable was the temperature asymmetry between the lower limbs, and the independent variable was the mean muscle spasticity. RESULTS: Spasticity and asymmetry of the lower limbs are significantly associated (β=0.39; r²=0.29; p=0.031), and the effect of BoNT-A measured by thermography is more evident in the evaluations of the first and third months. The thermo-asymmetry evolution tends to return to baseline values before spasticity measurements. CONCLUSION: Changes in lower limb spasticity intensity is associated with cutaneous temperature asymmetry in patients with stroke possibly due to greater blood perfusion after muscle relaxation effect caused by the blockade. Also, future studies should address vascular effects of BoNT-A and confounding variables such as age, BMI, and concomitant treatments.
- Subjects
NEUROMUSCULAR blockade; THERMOGRAPHY; STROKE patients; SKIN temperature; BOTULINUM A toxins; BOTULINUM toxin; STRETCH reflex; PERFUSION
- Publication
Thermology International, 2024, Vol 34, Issue 2, p29
- ISSN
1560-604X
- Publication type
Article