Pain following stroke, initially and at 3 and 18 months after stroke, and its association with other disabilities
European Journal of Neurology, 05/30/2012
Clinical Article
Sommerfeld DK et al. – The present results do not support the hypothesis that pain following stroke (PFS) causes other disabilities. The results indicate that PFS is correlated to other disabilities; however, no ultimate conclusions can be drawn on causality. PFS was not a predictor of coming disabilities, while some disabilities were predictors of coming PFS.
Methods- Patients with a first-ever stroke were assessed initially (n=109), and at 3 (n=95) and 18 months (n=66) after stroke for PFS, mobility, self-care as well as touch, proprioceptive, muscle tone, and movement functions.
- PFS was correlated to impaired upper extremity movement function on all occasions, while the correlations between PFS and other disabilities varied across the three occasions.
- Initial PFS and PFS at 3 months did not independently predict coming disabilities.
- Initial mobility limitation independently predicted PFS at 3 months and impaired touch function, initially and at 3 months, independently predicted PFS at 18 months.
- No other disabilities independently predicted coming PFS.
