Ömer Kuzu1, Emre Adiguzel2, Serdar Kesikburun3, Evren Yaşar2, Bilge Yılmaz3. 1. Kastamonu Rehabilitation Centre, Kastamonu, Turkey. Electronic address: kuzu_omer@hotmail.com. 2. Ankara City Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, Ankara, Turkey; University of Health Sciences, Gulhane Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gaziler Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. 3. University of Health Sciences, Gulhane Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gaziler Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled study examined the effect of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) and low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on upper extremity spasticity and functional recovery in chronic ischemic stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Twenty chronic ischemic stroke patients were randomized into three groups as real rTMS group (n = 7), real cTBS group (n = 7) and sham cTBS group (n = 6), in which real rTMS with physical therapy (PT), real cTBS with PT and sham cTBS with PT were applied in 10 sessions, respectively. The evaluation parameters were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow up at 4 weeks. RESULTS: Ten sessions of real rTMS or real cTBS combined with PT were found beneficial in motor functional recovery and daily living activities both at post-treatment and follow up at 4 weeks (p ˂ 0.05). In the sham cTBS group, functional improvement was not significant (p > 0.05). In addition, in the real rTMS group, elbow flexor, pronator, wrist flexor and finger flexor spasticity were significantly decreased; in the real cTBS group, significant decrease was observed in the elbow flexor and wrist flexor spasticity (p ˂ 0.05). In comparison with sham cTBS group, only in the real cTBS group, significant improvement was observed in the level of wrist flexor spasticity at follow up at 4 weeks (p ˂ 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was observed that real cTBS or real rTMS combined with PT provided improvement on upper extremity motor functions and daily living activities in chronic ischemic stroke patients, but improvement in spasticity was limited.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled study examined the effect of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) and low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on upper extremity spasticity and functional recovery in chronic ischemic strokepatients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty chronic ischemic strokepatients were randomized into three groups as real rTMS group (n = 7), real cTBS group (n = 7) and sham cTBS group (n = 6), in which real rTMS with physical therapy (PT), real cTBS with PT and sham cTBS with PT were applied in 10 sessions, respectively. The evaluation parameters were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow up at 4 weeks. RESULTS: Ten sessions of real rTMS or real cTBS combined with PT were found beneficial in motor functional recovery and daily living activities both at post-treatment and follow up at 4 weeks (p ˂ 0.05). In the sham cTBS group, functional improvement was not significant (p > 0.05). In addition, in the real rTMS group, elbow flexor, pronator, wrist flexor and finger flexor spasticity were significantly decreased; in the real cTBS group, significant decrease was observed in the elbow flexor and wrist flexor spasticity (p ˂ 0.05). In comparison with sham cTBS group, only in the real cTBS group, significant improvement was observed in the level of wrist flexor spasticity at follow up at 4 weeks (p ˂ 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was observed that real cTBS or real rTMS combined with PT provided improvement on upper extremity motor functions and daily living activities in chronic ischemic strokepatients, but improvement in spasticity was limited.