• Gyu-Sik Choi and Min Cheol Chang.
• a Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , College of Medicine, Yeungnam University , Namku , Daegu , Republic of Korea.
• Int. J. Neurosci. 2018 Feb 1; 128 (2): 110-116.

ObjectiveTo examine whether high-frequency (10 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), applied over the primary motor cortex of the affected hemisphere, could be used to manage hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP).MethodsTwenty-four chronic stroke patients with chronic HSP, randomly assigned into the rTMS group (10 sessions of high-frequency stimulation) or the sham group (sham stimulation), were performed. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) was used to evaluate the intensity of pain at pretreatment, and at 1 day, and 1, 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Changes in upper-limb motor function were evaluated using the Motricity Index (MI-UL) and modified Brunnstrom Classification (MBC).ResultsWhen compared to pretreatment, the rTMS group showed a significant decrease in the NRS score at 1 day, and 1, 2 and 4 weeks after finishing rTMS sessions, with no significant change in the sham group. The NRS score after the rTMS sessions reduced by 30.1% at 1 day, 29.3% at 1 week, 28.0% at 2 weeks and 25.3% at 4 weeks. Passive shoulder range of motion, MI-UL, and MBC, however, did not significantly change in either group.ConclusionsHigh-frequency rTMS could be used as a safe, beneficial therapeutic tool to manage HSP. We think it can be used as an adjuvant therapeutic modality to enhance the therapeutic outcome of HSP.

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