Affiliations: [a] Faculty of Health Science, Kobe University School of
Medicine, Tomogaoka 7-10-2, Suma-Ku, Kobe City, 654-0142, Japan | [b] Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo Rehabilitation
Center Hospital, Kobe City, Japan | [c] Department of Physical Therapy, Hyogo Rehabilitation
Center Hospital, Kobe City, Japan
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Junichi Kato, MD., Department of
Internal Medicine, Hyogo Rehabilitation Center Hospital, 1070 Nishi-Ku, Kobe
City, 651-2181, Japan. Tel.: +81 078 927 2727; Fax: +81 078 925 9203; E-mail:
jytskato@coffee.ocn.ne.jp
Abstract: The objective of this study was three-fold: 1. To measure
brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) in fifteen stroke patients with hemiplegia (9 males
and 6 females; 60±10 years old) 2. To examine changes in baPWV due to
rehabilitation by physiotherapy; and 3. To evaluate the effects of an increase
in physical activities on baPWV. BaPWV decreased significantly from 1,885±374 before
rehabilitation to 1,770±374 cm/sec after rehabilitation (p<0.0005) on
the paralyzed side and from 1,714±374 to 1,568±364 cm/sec
(p<0.001) on the non-paralyzed side. The serum total cholesterol level did
not evidence significant change. The FIM, which represents the degree of
functional independence, increased significantly from 52±21 to
75±29 (p<0.0005). A significant positive correlation (r=0.58,
p<0.05) was observed between ΔFIM and ΔbaPWV on the paralyzed
side. In stroke patients with motor disorders due to hemiplegia, baPWV was
significantly higher on the paralyzed side than on the non-paralyzed side,
suggesting a decrease in the arterial extensibility due to motor paralysis.
Furthermore, baPWV was improved by rehabilitation, and this improvement was
related to an increase in physical activities. It is hence concluded that baPWV
may be considered an effective index of the rehabilitation.
