Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether somatosensory impairments are more common in
individuals with post-stroke shoulder pain than in those without post-stroke
shoulder pain and healthy controls. DESIGN: Descriptive analysis of a convenience
sample. PARTICIPANTS:
Forty-nine individuals with stroke, 24 with and 25 without
post-stroke shoulder pain (median age 65 years), and 11 age- and sex-matched
healthy controls. METHODS: Perception and pain thresholds for cold, warm and heat
(thermal thresholds), and pain thresholds for pressure and pin prick (mechanical
thresholds) were assessed using quantitative sensory testing (QST). Passive range
of motion, motor function, resistance to passive movements, light touch and
proprioception were assessed in the upper extremities. Shoulder pain
characteristics were recorded in the post-stroke shoulder pain group. RESULTS:
There were no significant differences between the group with post-stroke shoulder
pain and the group without post-stroke shoulder pain in any of the QST
assessments, but more participants in the post-stroke shoulder pain group
reported abnormal cold sensation in the affected side. Both stroke groups had
generally higher thermal thresholds and more extreme low or high mechanical
thresholds than the healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Somatosensory impairments are
common among individuals with stroke compared with healthy controls. The
non-significant differences in QST thresholds between the group with post-stroke
shoulder pain and the group without post-stroke shoulder pain indicate that
somatosensory impairments have only a small impact on post-stroke shoulder pain.

Langue : ANGLAIS