Table II.
Muscle size
| Author (year) | Study design | n | Subject features | Measuring device (unit) | Assessed muscle group | Evaluation time | PSa | NPSa | Change in time | ||||||
| Time point | ES PS (p-value) | ES NPS (p-value) | Drop-out ratio | ||||||||||||
| CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA (UPPER LIMB) | |||||||||||||||
| Median (IQR) | Median (IQR) | ||||||||||||||
| Carin-Levy 2006 (36) | Long. | 18 | 11M, 7F Age 66.0 ± 11.5 y PS: NR Type: NR Acute and early subacute stag |
Skin fold measurements (cm2) | Upper arm muscles | T0: 7d | 60.5 (58.1–62.8) | 62.9 (61.1–64.8) | T0 vs T1 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 22% | |||
| T1: 14d | 65.3 (58.3–2.6) | 66.0 (62.2–68.7)† | T1 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 6% | |||||||||
| T2: 21d | 60.2 (44.0–76.8) | 60.1 (44.9–75.8)† | T2 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 0% | |||||||||
| T3: 28d | 64.3 (58.3–75.6) | 65.5 (59.4–72.0)† | T0 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | |||||||||
| T0 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | ||||||||||||
| Median (IQR) | Median (IQR) | ||||||||||||||
| Forearm muscles | T0: 7d | 35.9 (33.3–38.5) | 45.3 (37.4–47.7)† | T0 vs T1 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 22% | ||||||||
| T1: 14d | 47.2 (41.4–48.9) | 45.9 (43.3–48.2)† | T1 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 6% | |||||||||
| T2: 21d | 43 (34.2–50.1) | 42.8 (34.9–51.4)† | T2 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 0% | |||||||||
| T3: 28d | 47.2 (42.0–50.5) | 45.9 (41.8–49.7)† | T0 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | |||||||||
| T0 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | ||||||||||||
| CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA (LOWER LIMB) | |||||||||||||||
| Median (IQR) | Median (IQR) | ||||||||||||||
| Carin-Levy 2006 (36) | Long. | 18 | 11M, 7F Age 66.0 ± 11.5 y PS: NR Type: NR Acute and early subacute stag |
Skin fold measurements (cm2) | Thigh muscles | T0: 7d | 143.6 (118.2–169.0) | 155.4 (123.6–187.1)† | T0 vs T1 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 22% | |||
| T1: 14d | 162.7 (133.4–171.7) | 163.2 (136.3–170.7)† | T1 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 6% | |||||||||
| T2: 21d | 155.7 (113.4–157.1) | 133.5 (107.2–170.7)† | T2 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 0% | |||||||||
| T3: 28d | 148.2 (115.5–168.2) | 152.8 (120.6–159.7)† | T0 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | |||||||||
| T0 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | ||||||||||||
| Carin-Levy 2006 (36) | Long. | 18 | 11M, 7F Age 66.0 ± 11.5 y PS: NR Type: NR Acute and early subacute stag |
Skin fold measurements (cm2) | Calf muscles | T0: 7d | 65.6 (63.0–106.7) | 69.5 (64.9–105.5)† | T0 vs T1 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 22% | |||
| T1: 14d | 94.2 (83.6–101.8) | 96.7 (78.0–97.7)† | T1 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 6% | |||||||||
| T2: 21d | 80.2 (61.1–100) | 82.0 (60.1–101.5)† | T2 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 0% | |||||||||
| T3: 28d | 94.7 (76.7–101.5) | 95.6 (71.4–99.5)† | T0 vs T2 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | |||||||||
| T0 vs T3 | NA (NS) | NA (NS) | 28% | ||||||||||||
| MUSCLE THICKNESS (UPPER LIMB) | |||||||||||||||
| Moukas 2002 (52) | Long. | 16 | 8M, 8F Age 61.0 ± 11.0 y PS: NR Type: NR Acute and early subacute stage |
Ultrasound imaging, M-mode, 10 MHz transducer (cm) | Elbow extensors | T0: 1d | 2.21 (0.43) | NR | T0 vs T1 | –1.01 (< 0.001*) | NR | 0% | |||
| T1: 11d | 1.78 (0.40) | NR | |||||||||||||
| MUSCLE THICKNESS (LOWER LIMB) | |||||||||||||||
| Kokura 2020 (46) | Long. | 57 39 |
23M, 34F Age 82.1 ± 7.6 y PS: 29L, 28R Type: 45I, 12H Acute and early subacute stage |
Ultrasound imaging, B-mode, 8 MHz transducer (mm) | Knee extensors | T0: 1d | 25.6 (7.2) | 25.0 (7.7) | T0 vs T1 | –0.27 (< 0.001*) | –0.08 (> 0.05) | 0% | |||
| T1: 7d | 23.6 (7.7) | 24.4 (7.2) | T1 vs T2 | –0.13 (NR) | –0.11 (NR) | 0% | |||||||||
| T2: 14d | 22.6 (7.6) | 23.6 (7.6) | T2 vs T3 | –0.07 (NR) | –0.01 (NR) | 0% | |||||||||
| T3: 21d | 22.1 (7.3) | 23.5 (6.9) | T3 vs T4 | –0.11 (NR) | –0.03 (NR) | 0% | |||||||||
| T4: 28d | 21.3 (7.1) | 23.3 (6.8) | T0 vs T2 | –0.40 (< 0.001*) | –0.18 (< 0.05*) | 0% | |||||||||
| T0 vs T3 | –0.48 (< 0.001*) | –0.20 (< 0.05*) | 0% | ||||||||||||
| T0 vs T4 | –0.60 (< 0.001*) | –0.23 (< 0.05*) | 0% | ||||||||||||
| 19M, 20F Age 80.8 ± 9.8 y PS: 22L, 17R Type: 28I, 11H Acute and early subacute stage |
Ultrasound imaging, B-mode, 8 MHz transducer (mm) | Knee extensors | T0: 1d | 26.7 (6.7) | 26.4 (7.5) | T0 vs T1 | –0.34 (< 0.05*) | –0.22 (< 0.05*) | 0% | ||||||
| T1: 7d | 24.4 (6.8) | 24.8 (6.8) | T1 vs T2 | –0.15 (NR) | –0.09 (NR) | 0% | |||||||||
| T2: 14d | 23.4 (6.7) | 24.2 (7.0) | T2 vs T3 | –0.27 (NR) | –0.09 (NR) | 0% | |||||||||
| T3: 21d | 21.7 (5.8) | 23.6 (6.9) | T3 vs T4 | –0.05 (NR) | –0.15 (NR) | 0% | |||||||||
| T4: 28d | 21.4 (6.2) | 22.6 (6.4) | T0 vs T2 | –0.49 (< 0.001*) | –0.30 (< 0.001*) | 0% | |||||||||
| T0 vs T3 | –0.79 (< 0.001*) | –0.39 (< 0.001*) | 0% | ||||||||||||
| T0 vs T4 | –0.81 (< 0.001*) | –0.54 (< 0.001*) | 0% | ||||||||||||
| Nozoe 2016 (54) | Long. | 31 | 22M, 9F Age 70.3 ± 12.8 y PS: 17L, 14R Type: 18I, 13H Acute and early subacute stage |
Ultrasound imaging, B-mode, 8 MHz transducer (mm) | Knee extensors | T0: 2d | 28.0 (7.1) | 28.6 (7.3) | T0 vs T1 | –0.84 (< 0.001*) | –0.59 (< 0.001*) | 0% | |||
| T1: 16d | 22.1 (6.8) | 24.1 (7.7)‡ | |||||||||||||
| Nozoe 2017 (56) | CCT | 10 | 7M, 3F Age 63.1 ± 11.4 y PS: 6L, 4R Type: NR Acute and early subacute stage |
Ultrasound imaging, B-mode, 8 MHz transducer (cm) | Knee extensors | T0: 2d | 3.07 (0.60) | 3.29 (0.59) | T0 vs T1 | –1.30 (.005*) | –0.85 (.005*) | 0% | |||
| T1: 16d | 2.20 (0.68) | 2.62 (0.92) | |||||||||||||
| Nozoe 2018 (55) | Long. | 17 | 4M, 13F Age 66.0 ± 11.0 y PS: NR Type: NR Acute and early subacute |
Ultrasound imaging, B-mode, 8 MHz transducer (cm) | Knee extensors | T0: 3d | 2.98 (0.72) | NR | T0 vs T1 | –0.41 (.001*) | NR | 0% | |||
| T1: 17d | 2.67 (0.74) | NR | |||||||||||||
| MD T1–T0 (SD) | MD T1–T0 (SD) | ||||||||||||||
| Nozoe 2020a (57) | Long. | 55 | 41M, 14F Age 65.0 ± 10.0 y PS: 31L, 24R Type: 27I, 28H Acute and early subacute |
Ultrasound imaging, B-mode, 8 MHz transducer (%) | Knee extensors | T0: 7d | –16.9 (14.7) | –11.3 (12.7) | T0 vs T1 | NA (NR) | NA (NR) | 0% | |||
| T1: 21d | |||||||||||||||
| Median (IQR) | Median (IQR) | ||||||||||||||
| Nozoe 2020b (58) | Long. | 18 | 14M, 4F Age 66.3 ± 10.3 y PS: 7L, 11R Type: 10I, 8H Acute and early subacute |
Ultrasound imaging, B-mode, 8 MHz transducer (cm) | Knee extensors | T0: 2d | 3.1 (1.7) | 3.5 (1.4)† | T0 vs T1 | NA (.014*) | NA (.003*) | 0% | |||
| T1: 16d | 2.6 (1.4) | 2.9 (1.4)‡ | |||||||||||||
| LEAN MUSCLE MASS (LOWER LIMB) | |||||||||||||||
| Jorgensen 2011 (44) | Long. | 12 | Not able to walk by 2 months Acute and early subacute stage |
DEXA scanner (gr) | Lower limb | T0: 7d | 6796.42 (1529.94) | 6832.83 (1315.65) | T0 vs T1 | –0.36 (< 0.05*) | –0.23 (< 0.05*) | 11% | |||
| T1: 56d | 6294.92 (1154.28) | 6518.58 (1282.65) | |||||||||||||
| 13 | Able to walk by 2 months Acute and early subacute stage |
DEXA scanner (gr) | Lower limb | T0: 7d | 7074.31 (1482.91) | 6945.69 (1420.88) | T0 vs T1 | –0.10 (> 0.05) | –0.05 (> 0.05) | 11% | |||||
| T1: 56d | 6931.23 (1389.81) | 6871.38 (1363.01) | |||||||||||||
n: number of participants; PS: paretic side; NPS: non-paretic side; ES: effect size; Long.: Longitudinal; CCT: clinical controlled trial; M: Male; F: female; L: left; R: right; I: ischaemic; H: haemorrhagic; T: time-point of evaluation; d: mean days after stroke; NR: not reported; NS: not significant; NA: not analysed; gr: gram; Cm: centimetres; mm: millimetres; IQR: interquartile range; MD: mean difference; SD: standard deviation.
a
Values of the paretic and non-paretic side are reported as means and standard deviations unless otherwise mentioned
*
Statistically significant Studies reporting differences between the paretic and non-paretic side are marked with
†
(no difference between both sides (p≥0.05)) or
‡
(significant difference between both sides (p < 0.05)).