Correlation study between lower limb muscle function and hemodynamics in hemiplegic patients after stroke: a...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of disability, often resulting in hemiplegia.
• Current assessments of lower limb function in stroke patients lack objectivity.
• Limited research exists on integrating surface electromyography (sEMG) and color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) for stroke rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between quadriceps femoris muscle function and femoral artery hemodynamics in post-stroke hemiplegic patients.
• To establish a more precise method for rehabilitation assessment in stroke survivors.

Main Methods:

• A prospective control study involving 20 hemiplegic patients post-stroke.
• Measurement of femoral artery hemodynamic parameters and quadriceps femoris sEMG signals.
• Comparison of affected and healthy limbs before and after maximum isometric contraction.

Main Results:

• The affected limb showed reduced peak systolic velocity, arterial diameter, and sEMG indicators (except end-diastolic velocity) compared to the healthy limb (P<0.05).
• Significant differences were observed in the mean power and median frequencies of vastus medialis and lateralis muscles (P<0.05).
• A positive correlation was found between quadriceps femoris median frequency and arterial diameter during contraction in the healthy limb (r=0.489, P<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Impaired lower limb muscle function in hemiplegic stroke patients is linked to hemodynamic abnormalities.
• The combined sEMG and CDUS approach offers a comprehensive and objective assessment for stroke rehabilitation.
• This integrated method enhances early assessment accuracy and provides better guidance for stroke rehabilitation strategies.