title: Involvement of sympathetic reflex activity in patients with acute and chronic stroke: A comparison with functional motor capacity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate sympathetic nervous system functions in patients with acute and chronic phase of stroke by measuring sympathetic skin reflex (SSR) and the relationship between sympathetic dysfunction and motor function capacity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A physical medicine and rehabilitation department in a research hospital of a university referral center in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six patients with stroke-13 in the acute phase and 43 in the chronic phase-and 42 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  SSR was recorded with electric stimulation of the bilateral median nerves.
  
  
  METHODS
  SSR was recorded to assess sympathetic reflex activity in patients in the acute and chronic phase of stroke and in controls. Motor functions was classified using the Brunnstrom stages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean SSR latency in the acute phase was significantly prolonged and the amplitudes were decreased compared with controls. In the chronic phase, the mean amplitudes were significantly attenuated compared with controls, whereas the mean latency did not change. The mean latency of SSR in patients in Brunnstrom groups 1 and 2 was longer, and the mean amplitude was smaller than in controls (P<.05). The mean amplitude was significantly reduced in patients classified as Brunnstrom groups 3 and 4 compared with controls (P<.05), but the mean latency was not affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression of sympathetic reflex activity was more prominent in the acute phase of stroke and was associated with moderate or highly limited motor function capacity. Improvement of motor dysfunction may parallel recovery of sympathetic reflex activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of PM&R, Istanbul University Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Lutfiye
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Muslumanoglu
authors.forename: Semih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aki
authors.forename: Dilsad
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Turkdogan
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Us
authors.forename: Gulseren
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akyuz
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*