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Low TENS treatment on post-stroke paretic arm: a three-year follow-up
L Sonde1, H Kalimo, S E Fernaeus
1Division of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden. lars.sonde@ger.svso.sll.se
Objective:
To determine whether stroke patients with initial increases in arm motor recovery following low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (low TENS) treatment go on to show long-term benefits. Also whether the same therapy results in long-term improvements in motor function, spasticity or activities of daily living (ADL).
Design:
A three-year follow-up study.
Subjects:
Twenty-eight stroke patients, who had participated in a randomized trial of daily treatment with low-frequency (1.7 Hz) transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (low TENS) on the paretic arm for three months starting 6-12 months after stroke.
Outcomes:
Fugl-Meyer Motor Performance Scale for evaluation of changes in arm motor function. A 6-point Ashworth Scale to measure spasticity. Barthel Index to evaluate performance in ADL.
Results:
Motor function of the paretic arm had deteriorated in both treatment and control groups. Increased spasticity was seen in both groups. ADL score remained at a similar level in the low TENS group, whereas the control group had deteriorated during the same time period.
Conclusions:
Low TENS stimulation started 6-12 months after stroke may not have a specific effect on arm motor function years after completion of treatment.