Faculty Collaboration Database

Reduced oxygen desaturation in the vastus lateralis of chronic stroke survivors during graded muscle contractions. Top Stroke Rehabil 2024 Jul;31(5):513-526

Date

12/14/2023

Pubmed ID

38095272

Pubmed Central ID

PMC11129930

DOI

10.1080/10749357.2023.2291902

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85179712535 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   1 Citation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined changes in skeletal muscle physiology post-stroke. This study examined changes in tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle of stroke survivors and age-matched control participants during maximal and submaximal isometric contractions of the knee extensor muscles.

OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that tissue oxygen desaturation (ΔStO₂) during knee extensor muscle contractions would be less in the VL in the paretic vs. the non-paretic and control legs.

METHODS: Ten chronic stroke survivors (>6 months post-stroke) with lower extremity muscle weakness and 10 age-matched controls completed this prospective cohort study. Maximum voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the knee extensor muscles were assessed with a Biodex dynamometer and StO₂ of the VL was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy.

RESULTS: In the paretic leg of the stroke survivors little change in StO₂ of the VL was observed during an MVC (ΔStO₂ = -1.7 ± 1.8%) compared to the non-paretic (ΔStO₂ = -5.1 ± 6.1%; p < 0.05) and control legs (ΔStO₂ = -14.4 ± 8.8%; p < 0.05 vs. paretic and non-paretic leg). These differences remained when normalizing for strength differences between the legs. Compared to controls, both the paretic and non-paretic VL showed pronounced reductions in ΔStO₂ during ramp and hold contractions equal to 20%, 40%, or 60% of the MVC (p < 0.05 vs. controls at all load levels).

CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that oxygen desaturation in response to isometric muscle contractions is impaired in both the paretic and non-paretic leg muscle of stroke survivors compared to age-matched controls, and these differences are independent of differences in muscle strength.

Author List

Hyngstrom AS, Nguyen JN, Murphy SA, Raab SC, Schmit BD, Gutterman DD, Durand MJ

Authors

Allison Hyngstrom PhD Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy department at Marquette University
Brian Schmit PhD Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Marquette University

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Chronic Disease
Female
Humans
Isometric Contraction
Male
Middle Aged
Muscle Contraction
Paresis
Prospective Studies
Quadriceps Muscle
Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
Stroke
Survivors