Muscular atrophy in the hemiplegic thigh in patients after stroke

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated muscular atrophy in the hemiplegic limbs by assessing the muscle volume of the thighs in stroke patients.

Design: Muscle volume of the bilateral thighs was determined by computed tomographic scanning in 50 hemiplegic patients after stroke.

Results: The average muscle volume in the hemiplegic side was significantly lower than that in the nonhemiplegic side. When the patients were divided into the two groups aged <65 yr old and >/=65 yr, age-dependent reduction in the muscle volume was significant only in the nonhemiplegic side. In addition, the ratio of the muscle volume in hemiplegic side to that in non-hemiplegic side was lower in the younger group than in the older group, with close to significance (P = 0.07). Muscle volume in both hemiplegic and nonhemiplegic sides correlated positively with Barthel index and negatively with patient age.

Conclusion: Muscle volume decreases in the hemiplegic side in stroke patients.