Correlation between Somatosensory and Motor Function in Stroke Patients of Different Age Groups and Thoughts on Full-cycle Rehabilitation: a Multicenter Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background Somatosensory and motor dysfunctions are common after stroke, both lead to limitations in activities of daily living and social participation, there is still a lack of research evidence to analyze the relationship between the two from multiple perspectives. Objective To investigate the relationship between somatosensory and motor function among overall, upper and lower extremities in different-age-group patients within one year after stroke. Methods This prospective study enrolled the poststroke patients within one year from several hospitals in Fujian Province from October 2022 to April 2023. The sensory subscale of the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA-S) and the sensory subitem of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were used to evaluate the patient's somatosensory function. The motor subscale of the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA-M), Brunnstrom assessment, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the motor subitem of NIHSS were used to evaluate the patient's motor function. Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was used to evaluate the patient's activities of daily living (ADL). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate the patient's psychosomatic function. They were divided into two groups (the elderly group/the young and middle-aged group) according to their age, we compared the differences in general information and rehabilitation assessments between the two groups. And we analyzed the correlation between somatosensory function and motor function/ADL/psycho-psychological function. Results A total of 254 patients were included, with an average age of (61.0±12.3) years and an average disease course of 30.0 (17.0, 65.5) days. There were 112 cases (44.1%) in the elderly group and 142 cases (55.9%) in the young and middle-aged group. FMA-S and FMA-M scores were positively correlated in both groups (rs values were 0.313 and 0.171, both P<0.05), NIHSS sensory items were all negatively correlated with FMA-M scores (rs values were -0.199 and -0.177, both P<0.05). In the elderly group, FMA-S-UE related scores were positively correlated with FMA-M-UE, Brunnstrom-UE, and Brunnstrom-HAND scores; they were negatively correlated with NIHSS-UE score (all P<0.05). In the young and middle-aged group, FMA-S-UE total and light-touch scores were positively correlated with FMA-M-UE and Brunnstrom-HAND scores; FMA-S-UE proprioception score was positively correlated with FMA-M-UE, Brunnstrom-UE scores (all P<0.05). In the older group, FMA-S-LE related scores were positively correlated with FMA-M-LE, Brunnstrom-LE, and BBS scores; FMA-S-LE total and light touch scores were negatively correlated with NIHSS-LE scores (all P<0.01). In the young and middle-aged group, FMA-S-LE total and proprioception scores were positively correlated with FMA-M-LE, Brunnstrom-LE, and BBS scores; FMA-S-LE light touch score was positively correlated with Brunnstrom-LE and BBS scores; FMA-S-LE total and proprioception scores were each negatively correlated with NIHSS-LE score (all P<0.05). In the elderly group, FMA-S was positively correlated with MBI (rs=0.270, P<0.05), FMA-S score was negatively correlated with HADS-A and HADS-D scores (rs were respectively -0.300 and -0.374, P<0.01), NIHSS sensory item was positively correlated with HADS-D score (rs=0.235, P<0.01) . Conclusion There is a positive correlation between somatosensory and motor function in different-age-group patients within one year after stroke, and age may affect the correlation between somatosensory function and motor function/ADL/psychosocial function.

Keywords

• stroke|age factors|somatosensory function|motor function|full-cycle rehabilitation|multicenter study