”
TITLE
Effects of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Reducing Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain in Patients with Chronic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial
AUTHORS
Choi GS; Chang MC.
SOURCE
International Journal of Neuroscience. 128(2):110-116, 2018 Feb.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether high-frequency (10 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), applied over the primary motor cortex of the affected hemisphere, could be used to manage hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP).
METHODS
Twenty-four chronic stroke patients with chronic HSP, randomly assigned into the rTMS group (10 sessions of high-frequency stimulation) or the sham group (sham stimulation), were performed. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) was used to evaluate the intensity of pain at pretreatment, and at 1 day, and 1, 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Changes in upper-limb motor function were evaluated using the Motricity Index (MI-UL) and modified Brunnstrom Classification (MBC).
RESULTS
When compared to pretreatment, the rTMS group showed a significant decrease in the NRS score at 1 day, and 1, 2 and 4 weeks after finishing rTMS sessions, with no significant change in the sham group. The NRS score after the rTMS sessions reduced by 30.1% at 1 day, 29.3% at 1 week, 28.0% at 2 weeks and 25.3% at 4 weeks. Passive shoulder range of motion, MI-UL, and MBC, however, did not significantly change in either group.
CONCLUSIONS
High-frequency rTMS could be used as a safe, beneficial therapeutic tool to manage HSP. We think it can be used as an adjuvant therapeutic modality to enhance the therapeutic outcome of HSP.
“
