Martine Nadler1, Mathilde Pauls2, Gillian Cluckie3, Barry Moynihan4, Anthony C Pereira5. 1. Department of Neurology, Atkinson Morley Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: martine.nadler@stgeorges.nhs.uk. 2. Department of Neurology, Atkinson Morley Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: mathildemarthahilkea.pauls@addenbrookes.nhs.uk. 3. Department of Neurology, Atkinson Morley Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: gillian.cluckie@stgeorges.nhs.uk. 4. Department of Neurology, Atkinson Morley Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: barrymoynihan@beaumont.ie. 5. Department of Neurology, Atkinson Morley Wing, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: anthony.pereira@stgeorges.nhs.uk.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify very early incidence of hemiplegic shoulder pain within 72hours (HSP), how clinical assessment was related to pain at 8-10 week follow-up and explore current standard therapy/management. DESIGN: Observational, prospective. SETTING: Teaching hospital hyper-acute and follow-up stroke services. PARTICIPANTS: 121 consecutive patients with confirmed cerebral infarct/haemorrhage recruited within 72hours of stroke onset. INTERVENTIONS: N/A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjective report of pain severity and aggravating factors: using numerical rating scales and pain questionnaire (ShoulderQ), shoulder abductor and flexor muscle strength (Oxford MRC Scale), Neer's Test of sub-acromial pain, shoulder subluxation and soft tissue shoulder palpation. RESULTS: At initial assessment (<72hours), 35% (42/121) reported HSP. At follow-up (8-10 weeks), 44% (53/121) had pain: pain persisted in 32 of the original 42, resolved in 10 and had developed since initial assessment in 21. Pain at follow-up was associated with a statistically significant higher frequency of severe shoulder muscle weakness (MRC grade ≤2) and gleno-humeral subluxation at initial assessment. Soft tissue palpation and Neer's Test detected pain but did not predict development of HSP. 50/121 patients had 140 therapy interventions, particularly targeted to those with a higher HSP risk. CONCLUSION: This study reports HSP at an earlier time point after stroke than previous publications. Patients with severe arm weakness and/or shoulder subluxation within 72hours are at significantly higher risk of HSP at 8-10 weeks. These data highlight the high incidence of HSP, the non-standardized therapy approach, and can inform sample size calculations for future intervention studies. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02574000 (clinicaltrials.gov).
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify very early incidence of hemiplegic shoulder pain within 72hours (HSP), how clinical assessment was related to pain at 8-10 week follow-up and explore current standard therapy/management. DESIGN: Observational, prospective. SETTING: Teaching hospital hyper-acute and follow-up stroke services. PARTICIPANTS: 121 consecutive patients with confirmed cerebral infarct/haemorrhage recruited within 72hours of stroke onset. INTERVENTIONS:N/A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjective report of pain severity and aggravating factors: using numerical rating scales and pain questionnaire (ShoulderQ), shoulder abductor and flexor muscle strength (Oxford MRC Scale), Neer's Test of sub-acromial pain, shoulder subluxation and soft tissue shoulder palpation. RESULTS: At initial assessment (<72hours), 35% (42/121) reported HSP. At follow-up (8-10 weeks), 44% (53/121) had pain: pain persisted in 32 of the original 42, resolved in 10 and had developed since initial assessment in 21. Pain at follow-up was associated with a statistically significant higher frequency of severe shoulder muscle weakness (MRC grade ≤2) and gleno-humeral subluxation at initial assessment. Soft tissue palpation and Neer's Test detected pain but did not predict development of HSP. 50/121 patients had 140 therapy interventions, particularly targeted to those with a higher HSP risk. CONCLUSION: This study reports HSP at an earlier time point after stroke than previous publications. Patients with severe arm weakness and/or shoulder subluxation within 72hours are at significantly higher risk of HSP at 8-10 weeks. These data highlight the high incidence of HSP, the non-standardized therapy approach, and can inform sample size calculations for future intervention studies. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02574000 (clinicaltrials.gov).