Upper extremity complications in acute stroke patients.

Abstract

Results : There are 39 males and 21 females recruited into the study. Their average age was 63.90 + 13.61 years old. Seventeen (28.34 %) had upper extremity complications; i.e. 12 (20 %) had shoulder subluxation, 3 (5 %) had frozen shoulder,1 (1.67 %) had swollen hand,1 (1.67 %) had reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). Sex, age, education, marital status, occupation, type of pathology, side of weakness, underlying disease, onset of stroke, duration of rehabilitation treatment, cost of therapy had no significant difference between the patients with or without upper extremity complications. เท addition, this study found that Brunnstrom stage and BAI on admission and discharge of the patients who had upper extremity complications were significantly lower than those who had not (p < 0.001 for Brunnstrom admission and discharge and BAI discharge, p < 0.05 for BAI admission).

Conclusion : The incidence of upper extremity complications in acute stroke are 28.34 %, (i.e. shoulder subluxation 20 %, frozen shoulder 5 %, swollen hand 1.67 % and RSD 1.67 %). Sex, age, education, marital status, occupation, type of stroke, side of weakness, underlying disease, onset of stroke, duration of rehabilitation treatment, cost of therapy are not the risk factors of upper extremity complications. Low Brunnstrom stage and admission BAI score were the risk factors of upper extremity complications in acute phase.