Spasticity is a determining for functional loss following ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVE: To detect possible predictive factors for its occurrence. METHOD: Demographic, clinical and tomographic data on 146 stroke patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Spasticity was noted more frequently among patients who underwent physiotherapy (p<0.0001; OR=19.4; 95% CI: 4.4-84.5), those who underwent such treatment for long periods (p=0.028; OR=4.80; 95% CI: 1.1-8.3) and those with manual work (p=0.041; OR=2.2; 95% CI: 1.02-4.6), lower income (p=0.038), pain complaints (p<0.0001; OR=107.0; 95% CI: 13.5-847.3), appearance of pain at the same time as spasticity (p<0.0001), previous vascular disease (p=0.001; OR=4.2; 95% CI: 1.7-10.3), muscle weakness (p<0.0001; OR=91.9; 95% CI: 12.0-699.4), extensive lesions as seen on tomography (p=0.01) and lesions affecting more than one cerebral lobe (p=0.018). Manual work had a relative risk of 2.9; previous stroke 3.9, and extensive lesion 3.6. CONCLUSION: Spasticity affected 25% of the patients, and was associated with: manual work, previous stroke, extensive lesions, decrease in individual income, underwent physiotherapy, underwent physiotherapy for longer period, pain complaints, the pain started simultaneously with the spasticity, presented changes in strength.
spasticity; stroke; cerebral infarct; physiotherapy
