Botulinum Toxin Type A Treatment Combined with Intensive Rehabilitation for Gait Poststroke: A Preliminary Study.

[GOAL] To examine the effects of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) treatment combined with intensive rehabilitation for gait compared with intensive rehabilitation alone in patients with chronic stroke.

[MATERIALS AND METHODS] A comparative case series design was used. Subjects were 19 patients with chronic stroke and spastic hemiplegia. In 9 patients (group I), BoNT-A was injected into spastic muscles of the affected lower limbs, followed by a 4-week inpatient intensive rehabilitation program. In the other 10 patients (group II), a 4-week inpatient intensive rehabilitation program alone was first provided (control period) followed by the same treatment protocol in group I. The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores, range of motion (ROM), gait speed in the 10-Meter Walking Test, 6-Minute Walking Distance Test (6MD) scores, Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) scores, and Berg Balance Scale scores were evaluated every 4 weeks following baseline assessments.

[RESULTS] All results except for the MAS score of knee flexor and the ROM of knee flexion improved in group I and the gait speed, 6MD, and TUG scores improved in group II. Intergroup comparisons at week 4 showed significantly greater improvements in the MAS score of ankle plantar flexor, ROM of ankle dorsiflexion, and 6MD in group I than in group II (P = .016, .011, and .009, respectively).

[CONCLUSIONS] BoNT-A treatment for lower-limb spasticity, combined with intensive rehabilitation, was effective in improving spasticity and the 6MD compared with intensive rehabilitation alone in patients with chronic stroke.