Quantitative Sensory Thermal Testing in Patients With Lacunar Infarct Syndromes

Background and Purpose Quantitative data on sensory impairment in stroke patients are limited. We measured the perception thresholds for temperature and thermal pain in patients with different lacunar syndromes, correlated the results with clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and studied the long-term prognosis of sensory dysfunction. Methods Quantitative thermal testing was performed by means of the Marstock method in 39 patients with lacunar syndromes (pure motor, sensorimotor, or pure sensory stroke) and MRI findings compatible with occlusion of a single perforating artery. Thresholds for cold, warmth, and heat pain were obtained bilaterally from the cheek, hand, and leg. The unaffected side was used as control. Follow-up included clinical assessments and repeated quantitative thermal testing (in 17 patients) up to 1 year after stroke onset. Results Patients with pure sensory stroke and sensorimotor stroke (n=22) had a significant thermal hypoesthesia on the