24-Hour Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score Assessment in Post-Stroke Spasticity Development in Patients with a First Documented Anterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Neuroanatomic substrates responsible for development of post-stroke spasticity are still poorly understood. The study is focused on identification of brain regions within the territory of the middle cerebral artery associated with spasticity development.

METHODS: This is a single-center prospective cohort study of first documented anterior circulation ischemic strokes with a neurologic deficit lasting >7 days (from March 2014 to September 2016, all patients are involved in a registry). Ischemic cerebral lesions within the territory of middle cerebral artery were evaluated using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) on control 24-hour computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Spasticity was assessed with modified Ashworth scale.

RESULTS: Seventy-six patients (mean age 72 years, 45% females; 30% treated with IV tissue plasminogen activator, 6.5% mechanical thrombectomy) fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. Forty-nine (64%) developed early elbow or wrist flexor spasticity defined as modified Ashworth scale >1 (at day 7-10), in 44 (58%) the spasticity remained present at 6 months. There were no differences between the patients who developed spasticity and those who did not when comparing admission stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 5 [interquartile range {IQR} 4-8] versus 6 [IQR 4-10]) and vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease). Nor was there a difference in 24-hour ASPECTS score (9 [IQR 8-10] versus 9 [IQR 7-10]). No differences were found between the groups with and without the early upper limb flexor spasticity of particular regions (M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, lentiform, insula, caudate, internal capsule) and precentral-postcentral gyrus, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area, posterior limb of internal capsule, and thalamus were compared.

CONCLUSIONS: We did not find any middle cerebral artery territory associated with post-stroke spasticity development by detailed evaluation of ASPECTS.