Stroke Training and Awareness Resources (STARs)


Predicting tone problems after stroke

Incidence and prevalence of spasticity after stroke

    • 38% develop spasticity
    • 15% require pharmacological treatment
    • 5% will require botulinum toxin injections

Verplancke D, Snape S, Salisbury CF, Jones PW, Ward AB (2005) A randomized controlled trial of botulinum toxin on lower limb spasticity following acute acquired severe brain injury. Clin Rehabil 19: 117-125.

There are some early predictive factors of long-term upper limb spasticity after stroke Part of the SALGOT study (Stroke Arm Longitudinal study at the University of Gothenburg, prospective cohort study protocol): Margit Alt Murphy, Hanna C Persson, Anna Danielsson, Jurgen Broeren, Åsa Lundgren-Nilsson and Katharina S Sunnerhagen

    • Reduced sensorimotor function
    • Spasticity at 10 days – likely at 12 months
    • Spasticity at 4 weeks – severe at 12 months
    • Older age – reduced probability for spasticity

Alt Murphy et al. BMC Neurology 2011, 11:56

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Page last reviewed: 01 May 2020