Functional and cognitive variables predicting successful use of chopsticks or a spoon by the paretic upper extremity in patients following stroke: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The factors necessary for successful use of chopsticks or a spoon, by patients with a paretic upper extremity (UE) following stroke are unknown.

OBJECTIVES: We identified the functional capacities and interactions related to chopsticks or spoon use in patients with right hemiplegia following stroke.

METHODS: Participants were 139 stroke patients with right hemiplegia who required rehabilitation, divided into the following three categories: able to use chopsticks, able to use a spoon, or unable to use a spoon. We collected sociodemographic data, medical data, physical and cognitive function data, and functional grades associated with chopsticks or spoon use by the paretic dominant UE while eating. We identified a complex interaction of variables relating to functional use of chopsticks or a spoon using a classification and regression tree analytic process.

RESULTS: Patients with UE Brunnstrom recovery stage (BRS) >IV, and a Hasegawa Dementia Scale - Revised (HDS-R) score >16 had a 91.3% probability of being able to use chopsticks. Moreover, patients with a UE BRS of >IV, and the HDS-R score ≤16 had a 66.7% probability of being able to use a spoon. By contrast, patients with a UE BRS of ≤IV had a 90.5% probability of not being able to use a spoon.

CONCLUSIONS: The interaction of BRS as a measure of UE function and HDS-R score as a measure of cognitive function affect the ability of patients with stroke histories to functionally use the paretic UE to operate chopsticks or a spoon.