The Significance of Motor Evoked Potentials as a Prognostic Factor in the Early Stage of Stroke Patients

Kim, Chul; Jeong, Jaehwa

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in predicting functional motor recovery of acute stroke patients. METHOD: Nineteen acute stroke patients were assessed clinically by manual muscle test (MMT) & modified Barthel index (MBI) and SEP & MEP at about 10 days after stroke. Follow up clinical assessments were performed by MMT, MBI & gait evaluation after two months of rehabilitation program.
RESULTS
1) In the acute phase of stroke, there was a significant relationship between MEP and motor function. 2) The presence of MEPs in hemiparetic upper & lower extremities was correlated with better functional outcome than the absence of MEP in at least one extremity. MEP was better than SEP in predicting functional outcome following acute stroke. 3) The presence of MEP in hemiparetic abductor pollicis brevis muscle was correlated with a better functional improvement, contrarily the absence of MEP in abductor hallucis muscle was correlated with a worse functional outcome.
CONCLUSION
We concluded that MEP study is a useful assessment tool in predicting functional outcome of acute stroke patient. However, the absence of MEP does not necessarily indicate a poor prognosis. So further study is needed to clarify this controversy.