Background & Aims: The Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) is a clinical scale for measuring the degree of muscle spasticity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the MTS in measuring poststroke knee extensor spasticity.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed in 2012 at a university clinic of neurological physiotherapy in Tehran, Iran, with repeated measurements. In the present study, 15 poststroke patients with a mean age of 53.8 ± 14.0 years and mean time since stroke of 40.0 ± 32.2 months participated. The knee extensor muscle spasticity was assessed using the MTS to calculate the R2-R1 as the main clinical measure. To calculate the work, an isokinetic dynamometer was used to quantify torque-angle data during passive movements at 4 speeds (60o, 120o, 180o, and 240o/sec). The linear regression was used to calculate the slope for the work-velocity data [Joule/(degree/sec)].Results: There were significant differences between works done by the dynamometer at four speeds; as the speed increased the work decreased (P < 0.01). Mean (standard deviation) slope for the work-velocity data was -0.76 (0.78). There was no significant correlation between the dynamic component of MTS (R2-R1) and slope for the work-velocity data.Conclusion: The results indicate that the MTS might not be a valid measure for assessing knee extensor muscle spasticity in this sample of patients after stroke.

Objective: Spasticity is one component of the upper motor neurone syndrome, which is characterised by a velocity dependent increase in the tonic stretch reflexes. This study aimed at investigating the interrater reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale in the assessment of muscle spasticity in stroke patients.Materials & Methods: In this analytical and validity testing study 30 patients with spastic hemiplegia were selected by simple sampling from clients of central nervous system disorders clinic of Tehran University of medical sciences. The two muscle groups in affected upper limb were tested using a standardized procedure. These were elbow flexors and extensors. Assessment was done by the two occupational therapists during the same session. The order of assessment and the sequence of muscle testing by the two raters were random. The interrater reliability was calculated for the different subs ales of Modified Tardieu. The reliability was tested with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). For the Modified Tardieu Scale scores, the Cohen's Kappa test was used to analyze the level of agreement between the raters.Results: The values of ICC for both muscle groups were high. The ICC for R2-R1 as main outcome measure for determination of spasticity severity was 0.99 and 0.95 in the flexors and extensors, respectively. The Kappa values in muscles reaction quality were 0.88 in flexors and 0.89 in Extensors.Conclusion: The Modified Tardieu Scale provides high interrater reliability in the assessment of muscle spasticity after stroke.

Introduction: Spasticity is a common motor disorder in multiple sclerosis (MS). The modified Tardieu scale (MTS) is one of the most widely used test for assessing muscle spasticity. The aim of this study was to investigate the inter rater reliability of MTS in measuring of Knee Extensor muscle spasticity in MS patients.Materials and Methods: Knee extensors of 20 MS patients with mean age of 41.50 (SD=11.95) were assessed by two inexperienced physiotherapists. The order of assessments by the two raters was randomized. The inter rater reliability of MTS was determined by ICC two-way random effects model.Results: Inter-rater reliability for quality of muscle reaction and R2-R1 as dynamic component of spasticity in knee extensors muscle was high and moderately high respectively (ICC=0.89, 0.77).Conclusion: The results indicated MTS can be used as a reliable measurement for assessing knee extensors spasticity.

Background: Statins may be effective in reducing the risk of cerebral ischemia. This study aimed to examine the effect of Statins on the short-term prognosis of cerebral ischemia.Materials and Methods: This cohort study was performed on 230 patients, whose cerebral ischemia had been confirmed by the neurologist. Eighty patients were treated with Statins at least three months before the onset of disease, and 150 patients had no history of Statin treatment. Demographic and background data and motor ability of the patients were evaluated based on the modified ranking scale (MRS). The patient's motor status on admission was compared to that of the discharge time. A case was considered as poor prognosis if the motor condition would not change or become worse and as better, if it would become better on discharge.Results: Among 230 patients (mean age, 71.59 years), 103 cases were women (44.8%) and 127 men (55.2%). On admission, fifty-five (68.8%) patients in the Statin group and 26 (17.3%) in non-Statin group and on discharge, 70 patients (87.5%) in the Statin group and 43 (28.7%) in non-Statin group had better motor status (MRS<4, P<0.0001). Moreover, 67 patients (83.8%) in the Statin group and 43 (28.7%) in non-Statin group had a good prognosis (P<0.0001).Conclusion: Short-term prognosis in the Statin group before the onset of disease is better than that in the non-Statin group.

This study was carried out in order to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Modified Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (MSEIS) in Iranian sample. MSEIS is a self-report 41-item questionnaire to assess the trait emotional intelligence. For this purpose, the MSEIS, SCL-90-R, GHQ-28 and NEO-FFI-R were completed by a sample of 677 Tabriz University students (304 males, 373 females) aged 18-30 years (mean, 21). As it was predicted, there were significant correlations between the MSEIS and the above questionnaires. This correlation was negative and significant with the subscales of the SCL-90-R, GHQ-28 and its subscales and nearoticism (N). Also there were positive and significant correlations with the conscientiousness (C), extroversion (E) and agreeableness (A). Form the three models that suggested by exploratory factor analysis, only the four factor model was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (p>0.01). This finding was consistent with the revised model of Mayer and Salovey (1997). The overall reliability coefficient (internal consistency) of the MSEIS was 84 and this index for the four factors was .78, .65, .61, and .62. In general, the MSEIS have a satisfactory psychometric property.

Introduction: Myelopathy due to Human T Lymphocyte virus Type 1or Human associated myelopathy (Tropical Spastic paraparesis) is one of the clinical manifestations of this virus which is endemic in specific areas including the North-Eastern part of Iran. The aim of this case- control study was to evaluate the neurological symptoms and signs among patients who had already been identified as affected by the virus.Materials and Methods: The patients’ family background and medical history in terms of HTlV1 infection were evaluated. In addition, through administrating a laboratory investigation, sensory examination was used to detect any pain, vibration and/or priprioception in both upper and lower extremities. The evaluation of motor system was done according to force (0 to 5 on the basis of Medical Research Council Power Classification) and tonicity (based on the Modified Asworth Scale). Deep tendon reflexes as well as sphincter complaints were also investigated.Results: Among 15 cases (3 males, 12 females), the average age was 50.6±16.5 years. The average duration of symptomatic was found to be 5.6±4.1 years. Two patients reported to have background history of Htlv1 infection. The most common complaints by the patients were: paresthesia (53.3%), muscular weakness (33.3%) and urination frequency (13.3%). None of the patients had atrophy. Symmetrical increase in tonicity was detected in both extremities; however, it was predominant in the lower ones (P=0.02).Conclusion: Urinary complaints may be the first clinical presentation of HAM/TSP. The most common sensory sign in our patients was paresthesia. We suggest that all the patients with problems in symmetric sensory and/or motor system who are especially at risk of being exposed to HTLV1 infection as well as those who complain about urinary problems should be checked for HAM/TSP.