Intermittent compression for the treatment of the oedematous hand in hemiplegic stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of intermittent pneumatic compression in treating oedema in the hemiplegic hand of stroke patients. Design: single-blind randomized control trial. Setting: acute and rehabilitation elderly care wards in a teaching district. Subjects: 37 subjects with a first ever hemisphere stroke were randomized to treatment with standard physiotherapy either alone or combined with intermittent pneumatic compression. Main outcome measures: the effect of treatment on oedema was assessed using measures of the hand volume of the hemiplegic hand. The impact on function was assessed using the motricity index. Results: the treated group showed no change in the mean stroke hand volume. In the control group the mean stroke hand volume decreased by 3.2 ml. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups. The median scores for the motricity index increased for both groups but there was no significant difference between the groups and any improvement in motor function was independent of any treatment effects. Conclusion: intermittent pneumatic compression at the prescribed pressure and duration of this study is not an effective treatment for the oedematous stroke hand.