Does reducing spasticity translate into functional benefit?
【关键词】 arm;,botulinum,toxin;,functional,gain;,outcome;,spasticity 1 Ipsen, 190 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 3XE, UK 2 Oxford Chair for Enablement, Windmill Road, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK 3 Herbert Dunhill Chair of Rehabilitation, King‘s College, London, UK Correspondence to: Dr H Francis Ipsen Limited, 190 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 3XE, Berkshire, UK; hilary.francis@ipsen.com ABSTRACT Background: Spasticity and loss of function in an affected arm are common after stroke. Although botulinum toxin is used to reduce spasticity, its functional benefits are less easily demonstrated. This paper reports an exploratory meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between reduced arm spasticity and improved arm function. Method: Individual data from stroke patients in two randomised controlled trials of intra-muscular botulinum toxin were pooled. The Modified Ashworth Scale (elbow, wrist, fingers) was used to calculate a “Composite Spasticity Index”. Data from the arm section of the Barthel Activities of Dai
