SUMMARY

WU, T.H. Clinical and scintillographic modifications in chronic ischemic stroke patients treated with subcutaneous electrical stimulation. São Paulo, 2001. 111p. Tese (Doutorado) - Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo.

The majority of individuals who survive a stroke are disabled because of a persistent neurological impairment. Further improvement is not usually seen after 18 months of conventional treatments. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous electrical stimulation of the scalp on the functional recovery of patients more than 18 months post ischemic stroke. Using cerebral perfusion scintillography, changes in cold areas were associated with clinical, neurological and functional findings. A total of sixty-two male and female patients from 24 to 65 years old were prospectively randomized into two groups for this double blind clinical trial. In one group, thirty-four patients received ten sessions of low frequency electrical stimulation (2/100 Hz) applied through subcutaneous scalp needles at the projections of the motor, sensory, frontal and temporal associative areas of the Penfield homunculus for 30 minutes twice a week. In the other group, twenty-eight patients received placebo electrical stimulation twice a week for ten sessions applied through disconnected electrical cables on the scalp. They received seven seconds of stimulation for each of the functional brain areas represented at the scalp, namely: sensory and motor areas of the face, lower and upper limbs, as well as the supplementary motor area. Patients were evaluated prior to and immediately after the ten treatment sessions by blind examiners. Barthel and Rankin scales were used for the functional evaluation, and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was used for the neurological rating. Subcutaneous scalp electrical stimulation showed statistically significant neurological improvement, but did not modify the quantitative functional and scintillographic patterns in chronic ischemic stroke patients.

 

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