Original Article

Improvement in Disability Assessment Scale after Botulinum toxin A treatment for upper limb spasticity

Kenta Fujimura, OTR, BS, Hitoshi Kagaya, MD, DMSc, Hisae Onaka, OTR, Yuki Okochi, OTR, Masayuki Yamada, OTR, MS, Toshio Teranishi, RPT, PhD, Yoshikiyo Kanada, RPT, DMSc, Eiichi Saitoh, MD, DMSc
Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 8: 4-9, 2017

Objective: We investigated the effect of botulinum toxin type A for upper limb spasticity on activities of daily living using the Disability Assessment Scale (DAS).
Methods: The subjects were 47 patients who received botulinum therapy for upper limb spasticity. They were assessed before administration and 2, 6, and 12 weeks after administration by using the DAS, the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and upper-limbrelated parameters from the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA).
Results: DAS scores for hygiene, dressing, and limb position improved significantly 2 and 6 weeks after administration (p < 0.05), but there was no significant change in pain. MAS scores exhibited significant improvement 2, 6, and 12 weeks after administration, and the total scores for FMA upper-limb parameters exhibited significant improvement 2 and 6 weeks after administration (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Botulinum therapy contributes to improving not only the spasticity itself, but also to improving difficulties in activities of daily living associated with upper limb spasticity.

Key words: spasticity, BoNT-A, activities of daily living, upper limb function, Disability Assessment Scale

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