Asymmetry and Variability Should Be Included in the Assessment of Gait Function in Poststroke Hemiplegia With Independent Ambulation During Early Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To extract independent features from spatiotemporal data of poststroke gait. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Motion analysis laboratory in the rehabilitation department of a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample from inpatients in subacute recovery stage post stroke. Of 98 patients post stroke who underwent gait assessment, 69 patients post stroke were included in the data analysis (N=69). They could walk more than 10 m without personal assist or assistive devices. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Spatiotemporal parameters during level walking and their asymmetry and variability were obtained by insole foot pressure measurement system. RESULTS: Of independent components extracted by principal component analysis, 3 independent components explained 81.9% of total variance of spatiotemporal poststroke gait data. The first component has associations with walking speed and proportion of double support phase, and it explains 46.6% of total variance. The second component has association with temporal asymmetry, and it explains 21.1% of total variance. The third component has association with temporal variability, and it explains 14.2% of total variance. Principal component scores did not show significant differences between stroke types and among stroke lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Temporal asymmetry and variability should be included in the assessment of poststroke gait during early rehabilitation. They are independent of each other and provide characteristics of poststroke gait that are independent to the walking speed. They are helpful for rehabilitation planning and developing treatment strategy in poststroke gait rehabilitation.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Assessment With Ultrasonography: A Comparison Between Non-diabetic and Diabetic Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of cross-sectional area (CSA) and wrist to forearm ratio (WFR) in patients with electro-diagnosed carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with or without diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: We retrospectively studied 256 CTS wrists and 77 healthy wrists in a single center between January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2013. The CSA and WFR were calculated for each wrist. Patients were classified into four groups according to the presence of DM and CTS: group 1, non-DM and non-CTS patients; group 2, non-DM and CTS patients; group 3, DM and non-CTS patients; and group 4, DM and CTS patients. To determine the optimal cut-off value, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. RESULTS: The CSA and WFR were significantly different among the groups (p<0.001). The ROC curve analysis of non-DM patients revealed CSA ≥10.0 mm2 and WFR ≥1.52 as the most powerful diagnostic values of CTS. The ROC curve analysis revealed CSA ≥12.5 mm2 and WFR ≥1.87 as the most powerful diagnostic values of CTS. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic assessment for the diagnosis of CTS requires a particular cut-off value for diabetic patients. Based on the ROC analysis results, improved accurate diagnosis is possible if WFR can be applied regardless of presence or absence of DM.