Effect of botulinum toxin A & task-specific training on upper limb function in post-stroke focal dystonia.

[OBJECTIVE] To determine the effect of botulinum toxin A and task-specific training on upper limb function in post-stroke focal dystonia patients.

[METHODS] A randomised control trial was conducted at hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, from October 2015 to September 2016. The subjects were recruited using non-probability purposive sampling and were divided equally into control and experimental groups by sealed envelope method. The experimental group received botulinum toxin A followed by task-specific training, while the control group received only task-specific training for 8 weeks. Data was collected at baseline, after 4 weeks and 8 weeks by using upper extremity items of Motor Assessment Scale and Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale of upper limb.

[RESULTS] There were 43 subjects divided into two equal groups of 23(50%) each. In the experimental group, mean age of patients was 43.57±10.94 years while in the control group it was 48.75±10.75 years (p=0.135). There were 15(71.4%) male and 6(28.6%) female patients in the experimental group and 9(45%) were male and 11(55%) were female in the control group. Both groups showed significant improvements on the Motor Assessment Scale and Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale (p<0.01), but no significant differences were observed between the groups at baseline, after 4 and 8 weeks of intervention (p>0.05).

[CONCLUSIONS] Eight weeks of task-specific training improved upper limb function in post-stroke focal dystonia patients.