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Active finger extension: a simple movement predicting recovery of arm function in patients with acute stroke
Nicola Smania1, Stefano Paolucci, Michele Tinazzi
1Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, Neurorehabilitation Section, University of Verona, Italy. nicola.smania@univr.it
Background And Purpose:
Early prognosis of arm recovery is a major clinical issue in stroke. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of 4 simple bedside tests.
Methods:
Forty-eight patients with arm paresis/plegia were evaluated on days 7, 14, 30, 90 and 180 after stroke. Assessment included 4 potential predictors of arm recovery (active finger extension, shoulder abduction, shoulder shrug and hand movement scales) and 3 outcome measures evaluating arm function (Nine Hole Peg Test, Fugl-Meyer arm subtest, Motricity Index arm subtest).
Results:
The active finger extension scale was the most powerful prognostic factor. Patients with active finger extension scores >3 had a high probability of achieving good performance as assessed by the Motricity Index.
Conclusions:
Active finger extension is a reliable early predictor of recovery of arm function in stroke patients.
