Heart rate dynamics study on the impact of “mirror therapy” in patients with stroke

Abstract

Mirror therapy (MT) has been seen to provide encouraging results in hemiparesis treatment. For stroke there are evidence that MT, used like an additional intervention, improves recovery of arm function and a there are a few evidence regarding rehabilitation of lower limb function and pain after stroke. Firm conclusions could not be drawn yet, that’s why the objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical aspects of mirror therapy (MT) interventions after stroke, which patients are likely to benefit most from MT, and how MT should preferably be applied. Co-monitoring blood pressure, HRV, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation can bring valuable information on cardiovascular reactivity in patients after stroke but also on the effectiveness of therapy, as MT. The study will attempt to correlate neurophysiological aspects and hemodynamic using both classical and modern methods of analysis based on nonlinear analysis, less used today. We used a series of additional tests of stimulation the sympathetic and parasympathetic system, to emphasize the influence of those two elements.