Relationship between pulmonary function, functional independence, and trunk control in patients with stroke.

Rafaela Sant’Anna Dos Santos,Alexandre Simões Dias,Daniele Rossato,Luiz Alberto Forgiarini Junior,Sara Carolina Fontoura Dall’Alba,Soraia Genebra Ibrahim Forgiarini

doi:10.1590/0004-282x20190048

Abstract

Stroke often leads to abnormalities in muscle tone, posture, and motor control that may compromise voluntary motor function, thus affecting the motor control required for maintaining the synergy of both peripheral and respiratory muscles. To evaluate respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, trunk control, and functional independence in patients with stroke and to correlate trunk control with the other variables. This was a cross-sectional study of patients diagnosed with stroke. We assessed respiratory muscle strength, trunk control as assessed by the Trunk Impairment Scale, spirometric variables, and the Functional Independence Measure. Forty-four patients were included. Pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength were significantly lower than predicted for the study population, and the mean Trunk Impairment Scale score was 14.3 points. The following significant correlations were found between the variables: trunk control vs. maximal inspiratory pressure (r = 0.26, p < 0.05); trunk control vs. forced vital capacity (r = 0.28, p < 0.05); trunk control vs. forced expiratory volume in one second (r = 0.29, p < 0.05), and trunk control vs. the Functional Independence Measure (r = 0.77, p < 0.05). The present study showed that respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, functional independence, and trunk control are reduced in patients diagnosed with stroke.

Highlights

Stroke often leads to abnormalities in muscle tone, posture, and motor control that may compromise voluntary motor function, affecting the motor control required for maintaining the synergy of both peripheral and respiratory muscles[1,5]
We assessed the correlation of trunk control with pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and functional independence
Trunk control has a primary function in pulmonary mechanics—when diaphragmatic function is compromised in individuals after stroke, it is perceived that muscular paresis leads to unilateral hypoventilation and consequent decrease of pulmonary complacency, with greater elastic and nonelastic resistance of the lung, which fails to maintain lung volumes and decreases ventilation and perfusion capacity

Summary

Introduction

Stroke often leads to abnormalities in muscle tone, posture, and motor control that may compromise voluntary motor function, affecting the motor control required for maintaining the synergy of both peripheral and respiratory muscles. Objective: To evaluate respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, trunk control, and functional independence in patients with stroke and to correlate trunk control with the other variables. We assessed respiratory muscle strength, trunk control as assessed by the Trunk Impairment Scale, spirometric variables, and the Functional Independence Measure. Conclusion: The present study showed that respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, functional independence, and trunk control are reduced in patients diagnosed with stroke. Objetivo: Avaliar a força muscular respiratória, a função pulmonar, o controle do tronco e a independência funcional em pacientes com AVC e correlacionar o controle do tronco com as demais variáveis. Conclusão: O presente estudo demonstrou que a força muscular respiratória, a função pulmonar, a independência funcional e o controle do tronco estão diminuídos em pacientes diagnosticados com AVC

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Conclusion