Oral Presentation Asia Pacific Stroke Conference 2024

Characterising proprioceptive impairment using the Wrist Position Sense Test from pooled stroke samples: Updated criteria for interpretation and brief test version for use in clinical practice settings (106407)

Yvonne Mak-Yuen 1 2 3 , Thomas Matyas 1 , Kylee Lockwood 1 , Leeanne Carey 1 2
  1. Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
  2. Neurorehabilitation and Recovery, The Florey, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
  3. Department of Occupational Therapy, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia

Background/Aims

Impairments in upper limb sensation are prevalent among stroke survivors, with proprioception characteristically impaired. Yet, quantitative, standardized measures of proprioception available for clinical use are currently limited. The aims of this study were to characterize proprioceptive impairment in individuals after stroke using the Wrist Position Sense Test (WPST) in a relatively large pooled sample, to re-establish the criterion of abnormality of the WPST, and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a brief test version.

 

Methods

Baseline data from stroke survivors (n=205) and neurologically healthy controls (n=93) assessed on the WPST was extracted from six studies. Raw data were pooled and analysed to determine an updated criterion of impairment and ability of a brief test version to detect proprioceptive impairment.

 

Results

Proprioceptive impairment was common for the contralesional hand (66%) and present in the ipsilesional hand (21%). The criterion of abnormality was established as 11.1 degrees average error. High sensitivity and specificity were found for the briefer version of the WPST (20 vs 10 trials), with 85.3% sensitivity and 95.7% specificity.

 

Conclusion

The updated criterion of abnormality and high sensitivity and specificity of the brief test version support use of the WPST in clinical practice settings.