[Improvement of the treatment of patients with spastic movement disorder after stroke]

Spastic movement disorder (SMD) develops in up to 43% of cases as a sequela of stroke. In the event of a functionally relevant or daily life impairing SMD or to avoid an impending complication, the medicinal treatment of a focal, multifocal and segmental increase in muscle tone with botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) is recommended; however, treatment data reveal a lack of guideline-conform treatment with BoNT‑A in Germany.

The aim of the reported expert meeting was to discuss solutions to the incorrect treatment and undertreatment of patients with SMD and to formulate consensus recommendations to improve the care situation.

At a consensus meeting held in April 2022, eight experts from the fields of neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation discussed the causes for the incorrect treatment and undertreatment and formulated consensus solution approaches.

Possible reasons for the current incorrect treatment and undertreatment in SMD management in Germany include insufficient awareness of SMD among physicians, a lack of treatment capacities, a lack of information transfer in discharge management as well as staff shortages in the specialized inpatient and outpatient SMD treatment centers. The committee therefore recommended a patient pathway in which affected patients with SMD are provided with correctly implemented BoNT‑A treatment in combination with physical measures.

The recommended treatment pathway for use in stroke patients is intended to close gaps in care and thus ensure guideline-conform treatment of post-stroke SMD.