Research Report Abstracts - Gesundheit

eS398
Methods: All skin fold measurements were taken by the same
trained assessor in order to ensure measurement reliability
and accuracy. A sample of 43 women and 12 men underwent
anthropometry, weight and height measurements. Skin fold
thickness was measured at the mid-triceps, suprailiac and
thigh in females and at the chest, abdomen and thigh in males.
Body density was calculated using the 3-site skin fold Jackson
Pollock body density equations specific for men and women.
Analysis: Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to study
the relationship between the anthropometric and B.M.I. measurements.
The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. All
statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows (version 15).
Results: The mean B.M.I. for males and females in this
study were approximately the same at 23.44 kg/m 2 and
23.72 kg/m 2 , respectively with no significant difference
(p = 0.847). However, the mean percentage body fat content
differs considerably for men and women, with the percentage
being 7.52% and 17.54%, respectively, a statistically significant
difference (p < 0.01). The results indicate that rather
than B.M.I being a good predictor of body fat, there is not a
correlation between the variables.
Conclusions: The data from the current study shows that
there is a poor relationship between B.M.I. and percentage
body fat content. Future studies with larger sample sizes and
a variety of age groups are needed to support the present
findings.
Implications: B.M.I. is used as a diagnostic tool in the
determination of obesity and it must be considered that the
statistics regarding obesity in Ireland and elsewhere may be
flawed because of the inaccuracy of B.M.I.
Keywords: B.M.I.; Skinfold; Body fat content
Funding acknowledgements: This project was unfunded.
Ethics approval: Ethical approval was provided by the
Human Research Ethics Committee-Life Sciences (reference
LS-09-97-Gaughan-Fleming) at University College Dublin,
Ireland.
Research Report Poster Display
Number: RR-PO-308-24-Thu Thursday 23 June 12:00
RAI: Exhibit Halls2&3
VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF A
BIOMECHANICAL METHOD FOR
QUANTIFICATION OF “SPASTICITY” IN CHRONIC
STROKE PATIENTS
Gäverth J. 1,2 , Islam M. 1 , Fagergren A. 1 , Sandgren M. 3 ,
Borg J. 4 , Eliasson A.-C. 1 , Forssberg H. 1 , Lindberg P. 1
1Karolinska Institutet, Department of Women’s and Children’s
Health, Stockholm, Sweden, 2Karolinska University
Hospital, Department of physiotherapy, Stockholm, Sweden,
3Danderyd University Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation
Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden, 4Karolinska Institutet,
Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm,
Sweden
Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe validity and
reliability of a new method for quantification of muscle hypertonus
after stroke that is based on a model that differentiates
between mechanical (muscle and tissue) and neural (reflex)
components.
Relevance: There is a need of a clinical sensitive and objective
quantification of muscle hypertonus in order to evaluate
spasticity after stroke.
Participants: For validity, a convenience sample of 31
persons with chronic stroke (>6 months) participated. For
reliability, two raters and seven persons with chronic stroke
participated.
Methods: A biomechanical model of the hand composed of
different factors that contribute to passive wrist movement
was constructed, consisting of (i) inertia, (ii) elastic resistance
(EC, length-dependent), (iii) viscous resistance (VC,
velocity-dependent) and (iv) reflex mediated muscle contractions
i.e., neural component (NC, velocity-dependent).
For validity, we measured resistance to passive movement
and surface electromyography (EMG) during 50 ◦ passive
wrist extension using an in house built device, across four
controlled velocities (5, 71, 142, and 236 ◦ /seconds). In a
subgroup of persons with stroke, repeated measures before
and after ischemic nerve block were obtained. For reliability,
we used a test-retest design with two raters measuring persons
with stroke on two occasions with a 30 minute interval
between measures.
Analysis: Friedman ANOVA was used to assess velocitydependent
differences. For post hoc analysis and for within
group analysis Wilcoxon’s matched pairs test was used. For
between group analyses Mann–Whitney U test was used. Intraclass
correlation ICC2.1 was used for assessment of interand
intrarater reliability.
Results: The method shows validity in four ways: (i) NC
was abolished or reduced drastically after the ischemic
nerve block with no consistent change in EC or VC; (ii)
NC correlated strongly to the EMG activity, both in the
same subject during the ischemic nerve block procedure