Muscular weakness represents the main limiting factor of walk, functional independence and quality of life of myelopathy patients associated to HTLV-1.
HTLV-1-associated myelopathy is a progressive disabling disease associated with gait abnormalities.


OBJECTIVE
To identify and quantify the main muscles affected by weakness and spasticity, their impact on gait, functional capacity and on quality of life of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy patients.


METHODS
We evaluated lower limbs muscular strength according to the Medical Research Council scale, spasticity according to the modified Ashworth scale, daily activities according to the Barthel Index and quality of life according to the Short-Form Health Survey-36 of 26 HTLV-1-associated myelopathy patients.


RESULTS
The muscles most affected by weakness included the dorsal flexors and knee flexors. Spasticity predominated in the hip adductor muscles and in plantar flexors. Assistance for locomotion, minimal dependence in daily activities, limitations in functional capacity and physical aspects were the most common findings.


CONCLUSIONS
The impairment of gait, functional dependence and quality of life were predominantly a consequence of intense muscle weakness in HTLV-1-associated myelopathy patients.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Renata Costa
RC
Caiafa
Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Marco
M
Orsini
Faculdade de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlandia, MG, Brazil.
Lilian R
LR
Felicio
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Marzia
M
Puccioni-Sohler
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000502:physiology; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D014910:Wheelchairs