March 2022 CME Activity: Clinical Factors Associated With Balance Function in the Early Subacute Phase After Stroke-Clinical Factors Associated With Balance Function in the Early Subacute Phase After Stroke

Clinical Factors Associated With Balance Function in the Early Subacute Phase After Stroke

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This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with balance function in the early subacute phase after stroke. The study included 94 stroke patients and evaluated multiple variables including demographic factors, clinical variables, neurophysiological variables, and neuroimaging measures. Balance function was assessed using the Berg Balance Scale.<br /><br />The results showed that the Berg Balance Scale score was negatively correlated with age and the laterality index of fractional anisotropy, and positively correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of lower extremity, motor strength of the affected hip, knee, and ankle joint, and somatosensory evoked potential amplitude ratio. The abnormal somatosensory evoked potential group and poor integrity of the corticospinal tract group had significantly lower Berg Balance Scale scores. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, age, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of lower extremity score, and ankle plantar flexion strength were significantly associated with balance function.<br /><br />The study concluded that higher age, severe initial motor impairment, and strength of the affected lower limb muscles, particularly ankle plantar flexors, were strongly associated with poor balance function early after stroke. These findings suggest that evaluating distal motor recovery of the affected lower limb is important when planning balance training for stroke patients. Future studies should investigate the predictive value of early clinical, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging factors for balance recovery at different stages after stroke.

Keywords

balance function

early subacute phase

stroke

Berg Balance Scale

age correlation

motor strength

ankle plantar flexion

distal motor recovery

balance training

neuroimaging factors