Isokinetic assessment of muscular strength in subjects with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and the interest of isokinetic measures tests in subjects with inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy or Guillain-Barré syndromes (GBS). METHODS: Nine patients with GBS are tested at the beginning and after 6 months of recovery stage. They benefit from (1) isokinetic assessment of muscular strength of knee, elbow, ankle: flexion/extension and shoulder abduction/adduction ranging 30 per s at 180 per s angular velocity; (2) isometric assessment of the same muscular groups; (3) manual muscle testing; (4) functional independence measure. RESULTS: Isokinetic tests were tolerated at 60 and 120 per s. Fatigability appears since the third second of isometric test. The relationships between isokinetic, manual tests and isometric tests are variables (0.29 < r < 0.97). The evaluation after 6 months of recovery showed a good sensibility of isokinetic test. CONCLUSION: The continuation of this motor isokinetic evaluation, in a large population, will permit to establish longitudinal and evolutive profile of each patient and will facilitate to chose the rehabilitation program.