title: Respiratory Muscle Strength in Chronic Stroke Survivors and Its Relation With the 6-Minute Walk Test.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare respiratory muscle strength in stroke survivors (SS) with that in a control group (CG) of healthy people matched by age and sex, as well as to investigate any relation between respiratory muscle strength and the distance walked during the 6-minute walk test (6MWT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study comprised patients from a private neurological rehabilitation center and a public association for patients with acquired brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chronic SS with a diagnosis of hemiplegia/hemiparesis who were able to walk (n=30) and healthy individuals matched by sex and age (n=30) (N=60).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respiratory muscle strength was assessed using maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) with a pressure transducer and a diver nozzle. The distance walked during the 6MWT was also registered for both groups. The motricity index and the Scale Impact of Stroke version 16.0 were also measured in SS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Student t test revealed significantly lower values of MIP and MEP in SS than in the CG (MEP, 95.93±43.12cmH2O in SS vs 158.43±41.6cmH2O in the CG; MIP, 58.7±24.67cmH2O in SS vs 105.7±23.14cmH2O in the CG; P<.001). Moreover, these findings were clinically relevant because both MIP and MEP in SS were <60% of the predicted values. A positive correlation between the 6MWT and MIP was found using the Pearson coefficient (r=.43; P<.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respiratory muscle weakness should be considered in a holistic approach to stroke rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain. Electronic address: ana.lista@udc.es.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lista Paz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González Doniz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain; CEFINE, Center of Neurological Rehabilitation, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Serafín
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ortigueira García
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain; Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Saleta Canosa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moreno Couto
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014159:Transducers
keywords: Physical therapy modalities; Rehabilitation; Respiratory function tests; Respiratory muscles; Stroke