Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice ›› 2024, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (2): 210-216.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2024.02.011

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effect of galvanic vestibular stimulation on stroke patients with lateropulsion

GONG Xiang1, WANG Menghuan1, WU Cunshu1, CHEN Junwen1, XIAO Yue1,2, YANG Yun1,2, SUN Wanting1, LU Jun1,2(), XU Guangxu1,2()   

  1. 1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
    2. Rehabilitation Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
  • Received:2023-10-29 Revised:2024-01-12 Published:2024-02-25 Online:2024-03-01
  • Contact: LU Jun, XU Guangxu E-mail:lujunrehab@foxmail.com;xuguangxu@njmu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Jiangsu Health Development Research Center Open Project(JSHD2021003);Jiangsu Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program(KYCX23_1934)

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effect of galvanic vestibular stimulation on stroke patients with lateropulsion.
Methods From February to October, 2023, 30 stroke patients with lateropulsion in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were divided into control group (n = 15) and experimental group (n = 15) randomly. The control group received routine rehabilitation and sham galvanic vestibular stimulation, and the experimental group received routine rehabilitation and true galvanic vestibular stimulation, for two weeks. They were assessed with Scale for Contraversive Pushing (SCP), subjective visual vertical (SVV), Line Cancellation Test (LCT), Star Cancellation Test (SCT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Holden Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) and Barthel Index (BI) before and after treatment.
Results All the indexes improved in both groups after intervention (|t| > 2.461, Z > 3.000, P < 0.05), except the SVV orientation, SVV certainty and SCT in the control group; while the SCP, SVV certainty, LCT and FAC were better in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 2.189, Z = -2.862, P < 0.05), and the differences before and after intervention were better in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 2.382, P < 0.05), except LCT. SCP was correlated with SVV orientation, SVV certainty, SCT, BBS, BI and FAC (|r| > 0.381, P < 0.05).
Conclusion Galvanic vestibular stimulation can improve the lateropulsion, balance, walking function and activities of daily living in stroke patients, which may be related to improvement for spatial cognitive function, especially vertical perception.

Key words: stroke, lateropulsion, galvanic vestibular stimulation, spatial cognition, vertical perception

CLC Number: