Walking and disability after rehabilitation in patients with cerebellar stroke

Aim of this study is to verify if the presence of extracerebellar stroke lesions negatively affects walking and functional capacities recovery of patients with cerebellar stroke.

This study was carried out on 43 patients. Patients' selection was made through CT and MRI scans. Neuroimaging data were used to divide patients into 2 groups: 1) a group composed of 20 patients with isolated cerebellar involvement (group C); (2) a group composed of 23 patients with cerebellar plus extracerebellar involvement (group C+E). Patients were assessed through trunk control test (TCT), Lindmark scale and Rankin scale at admission and at discharge. Before rehabilitation, there were no significant differences in disability, TCT and Lindmark scores between the 2 groups of patients.

After rehabilitation, Lindmark scale (P=0.022) and TCT (P=0.015) scores of group C were statistically higher than those of group C+E. Disability was greater in group C+E (P=0.036). In these patients disability was absent in 17.4% of subjects, moderate-slight in 47.8% and severe in 34.8%. In group C disability was absent in 40% of subjects, slight-moderate in 55% and severe in 5%. Effectiveness in walking was 79.1% in group C and 57% in group C+E. Efficiency in walking was 0.13 in C group and 0.07 in C+E subjects. Effectiveness (P=0.008) and efficiency (P=0.008) of group C were significantly greater than of group C+E.

The study shows that the rehabilitation prognosis of cerebellar stroke is affected by the presence of extracerebellar stroke lesions.