HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) The Bottom Line The Bottom Line Podcast All Versions of this Article: ptj.20060349v1 87/12/1633    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Welmer, A.-K. Articles by Sommerfeld, D. K Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Welmer, A.-K. Articles by Sommerfeld, D. K Related Collections Stroke (Neurology) Tests and Measurements Stroke (Geriatrics) Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Determinants of Mobility and Self-care in Older People With Stroke: Importance of Somatosensory and Perceptual Functions

AK Welmer, PT, MSc, is a doctoral student in the Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden, and the Vårdal Institute, Lund, Sweden
M von Arbin, MD, PhD, is Senior Consultant and Head, Stroke Unit, Division of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
V Murray, MD, PhD, is Clinical Scientist and Consultant, Division of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet Danderyd Hospital
L Widén Holmqvist, PT, PhD, is Associate Professor, Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet
DK Sommerfeld, PT, PhD, is Senior Physiotherapist, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Danderyd Hospital, Danderyd, Sweden, and University Lecturer, Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet

Address all correspondence to Ms Welmer at: anna-karin.welmer{at}ki.se

Background and Purpose: Somatosensory as well as mental impairments are easily overlooked after acute stroke. Furthermore, their associations with activity limitations are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to examine this association and whether the assessment of somatosensory functions will provide information on perceptual functions after acute stroke.

Subjects and Methods: In 115 subjects who were 65 years of age, the following parameters were assessed 5 days after stroke: somatosensory (touch and proprioceptive), perceptual, and cognitive functions; depressive symptoms; mobility; and self-care.

Results: Multivariate analyses showed that normal proprioceptive function was significantly associated with better mobility. Normal perceptual and touch functions were significantly associated with better self-care. Subjects with normal proprioceptive function were 8.6 times as likely to have normal perceptual function as subjects with proprioceptive impairment.

Discussion and Conclusion: Somatosensory and perceptual functions were significantly associated with subjects' activity levels. Normal proprioceptive function also might indicate normal perceptual function.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?