Convergent Validity and Test-Retest Reliability of Multimodal Ultrasonography and Related Clinical Measures in People With Chronic Stroke

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2022 Mar;103(3):459-472.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.09.015. Epub 2021 Oct 23.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the test-retest reliability of diagnostic ultrasonography measurements of the bilateral biceps brachii (BB), brachial artery, medial gastrocnemius (MG), and popliteal artery in survivors of stroke and their convergent validity with related clinical comparators.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: All procedures were conducted in a university laboratory.

Participants: Sixty-five community dwelling adults (N=65; 26 women, 39 men) with an average age of 60.9±7.7 years and stroke duration of 5.7±3.9 years participated in this study.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome measures: Measures of muscle structure (ie, thickness, cross-sectional area, fascicle length, pennation angle), stiffness, and intramuscular blood perfusion were conducted using B-mode, elastography and color flow Doppler ultrasonography modes, respectively. Convergent validity was assessed by examining correlations between ultrasonography measures and assessments of related constructs (ie, dynamic stiffness, isometric peak torque, spasticity, and systemic vascular function using myotonometry, dynamometry, the Composite Spasticity Scale, and the Ankle-Brachial Index, respectively). A 2-way random-effects intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) model (ICC2,3) was used to determine agreement between intersession measures among a smaller cohort of participants with stroke (n=20).

Results: ICC estimates ranged from moderate to excellent for muscle stiffness (paretic: ICC=0.74-0.89; nonparetic: ICC=0.66-0.88), structure (paretic: ICC=0.87-0.99; nonparetic: ICC=0.81-0.98), and blood perfusion measures (paretic: ICC=0.74-0.84; nonparetic: ICC=0.73-0.88). Weak to moderate associations were found between myotonometry and elastography measures of the bilateral BB (r=0.29-0.52, P≤.05) and MG muscles (r=0.31-0.69, P≤.05). The correlations between elastography measures and spasticity scores for the paretic upper (r=0.35-0.63, P≤.05) and lower limbs (r=0.25-0.37, P≤.05) were also weak to moderate.

Conclusions: Elastography demonstrated mostly weak to moderate correlation with measures of stiffness using myotonometry as well as scores of paretic upper and lower limb spasticity. The results also indicate acceptable intersession reliability for muscle and vascular measures using several ultrasonography modalities among individuals with chronic stroke.

Keywords: Doppler ultrasonography; Elasticity imaging techniques; Muscle spasticity; Rehabilitation; Reproducibility of results; Stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation; Ultrasonography.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain Damage, Chronic
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Spasticity
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Stroke Rehabilitation*
  • Stroke*
  • Ultrasonography / methods