title: The use of a portable muscle tone measurement device to measure the effects of botulinum toxin type a on elbow flexor spasticity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To use a portable muscle tone assessment device to measure spasticity after a botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Before-after trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten chronic stroke patients with upper-limb spasticity.
  
  
  METHODS
  BTX-A was injected in the biceps brachii.
  
  
  METHODS
  The biomechanic parameters, viscous component, and averaged viscosity derived from the acquired reactive resistance and angular displacements, as well as the reflex electromyographic threshold of biceps brachii, were used for spasticity evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant decrease in averaged viscosity and a significant increase in reflex electromyographic threshold (P<.05) both indicated reduction in spasticity owing to BTX-A intervention. There was no clear reflex electromyographic activity detected at lower stretch frequencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our portable design allows for the convenient use of the device for quantifying spasticity in clinics. All quantitative measurements suggest that BTX-A decreases spasticity within 2 weeks of injection. Our portable muscle tone measurement device may be useful for the clinical assessment of elbow flexor spasticity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Jia-Jin Jason
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi-Ning
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Sheng-Chih
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hsin-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yu-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004550:Elbow / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019415:Torque
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A