Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to research the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) on the lower limb function of post-convalescent stroke patients.Methods: A total of 122 patients in the stroke recovery stage who suffered from leg dysfunction were randomly divided into two groups: a tDCS group (n = 61) and a FES group (n = 61). All patients received same routine rehabilitation and equal treatment quality, the tDCS group was treated with tDCS, while the FES group received FES. The lower limb Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), modified Barthel index (MBI), functional ambulatory category (FAC), and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) were used to assess the patients at three different stages: prior to treatment, 4 weeks after treatment, and 8 weeks after treatment.Results: The assessment scores for FMA, MBI, and FAC for the lower extremities after treatment (P > 0.05) were compared with those before treatment. The FMA, MBI, and FAC scores of the tDCS group were significantly higher than those of the FES group in all three stages (P < 0.05). The FMA, MBI, and FAC assessment scores of both groups were significantly higher after 4 weeks of treatment than that before treatment, and the scores after 8 weeks of treatment were significantly higher than those after 4 weeks after treatment (P < 0.05). The P40, N45 latencies decreased and the P40, N45 amplitudes increased, but there was no significant difference before treatment and after treatment (P >0.05), and there was no significant difference of the tDCS and FES groups before treatment and after treatment.Conclusion: In conclusion, FMA, MBI, and FAC indicate that both tDCS and FES can significantly promote the recovery of a patient’s leg motor function and tDCS is more effective than FES in the stroke recovery stage. The application value of SEP in stroke patients remains to be further studied.
Highlights
Around 15 million people suffer from stroke every year: approximately one every 2 s
There were no significant differences between the two groups in gender or age, which means the background data were coincident with the subjects (P > 0.05) (Table 1)
Compare within groups,the P40, N45 latencies decreased and the P40, N45 amplitudes increased, but there was no significant difference before treatment and after treatment (P> 0.05), and there was no significant difference of the Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and Functional electrical stimulation (FES)
Summary
Around 15 million people suffer from stroke every year: approximately one every 2 s. Approximately 5 million stroke patients die each year and another 5 million are left permanently disabled (Sabut et al, 2013). Many reasons can cause stroke (Wankowicz et al, 2019a,b). China ranks highest in stroke morbidity, with approximately 2 million new cases each year, and stroke is gradually becoming a major public health problem (Sabut et al, 2013). As a result of the injury caused to the central nervous system, patients who have suffered a stroke experience decreased muscle strength and balance and abnormal muscle tension, which results in a motion disorder (Huaping et al.). Due to the incongruity of the supporting phase of the lower limbs of the affected side and the healthy side, a decrease in step speed and frequency, and uneven distribution of load on each side, the quality and adaptability of a patient’s walking are reduced (Qing et al, 2014)
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