title: Late motor recovery is influenced by muscle tone changes after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the time course of motor recovery in a poststroke period ranging from 2 to 6 months and its correlation with both the severity of motor deficit and the muscle tone disturbances (flaccidity or spasticity) of the affected limbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive rehabilitation hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty consecutive stroke patients (21 men, 19 women) with first ischemic stroke who met the inclusion criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Change in motor deficit as evaluated by the Adams Hemispheric Stroke Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stepwise regression analysis indicated that the most significant factors influencing motor recovery were the time elapsed since stroke and muscle tone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rehabilitation of stroke patients is more effective in the first months after the event rather than later, considering the significant correlation observed between motor recovery and time elapsed since stroke. Flaccid patients appear to need 3 months or more before reaching the final plateau, because motor recovery occurs later and/or proceeds more slowly, whereas outcomes for spastic patients with spasticity appears to occur in the first months after stroke.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Rehabilitation Hospital Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy. r.formisano@hsantalucia.it
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Formisano
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pantano
authors.forename: M Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Buzzi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vinicola
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Penta
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbanti
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Lenzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009123:Muscle Hypotonia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation