Postural asymmetry and hemiplegia post-stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The objectives were to map out the characteristics of assessing postural asymmetry; thereafter to synthesize on how postural asymmetry develops in time after a stroke and finally, to describe postural asymmetry and its relations.Material and methodsFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was performed using the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library and PEDrO with the key words (Weight-Bearing Asymmetry OR Center of Pressure) AND (Stroke) for articles published through to November 2017.ResultsOne hundred and ninety-five articles were included and highlighted certain heterogeneity in the manner in which the evolution was performed. As expected postural asymmetry was found at an acute stage and still persistent at a chronic stage with a possible difference between left and right brain damage. Thirty-two articles were included in the meta-analysis, which revealed an important number of correlations (124) carried out with postural asymmetry with heterogeneity in the results.DiscussionThe variability and the heterogeneity in the measurement method as well as the important number of correlations carried out with postural asymmetry does not allow us to draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented and furthers studies are needed.
Source: Neurophysiologie Clinique - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research