Assessment of body weight distribution in hemiparetic patients: posturographic measurements versus the Assessment of Symmetry and Weight-Transfer scale

ABSTRACT Asymmetry in body weight distribution (BWD) is a common post-stroke finding. Although posturography is considered the gold standard for detection of BWD asymmetry, it requires specific equipment and knowledge, which limits its use in clinical practice. The Assessment of Symmetry and Weight-Transfer (ASWT) scale is a simpler method to identify asymmetry in body weight distribution. However, it has not been tested whether its scores are related to posturographic measures. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate concurrent validity by the association between ASWT and the posturographic measures of BWD in individuals with hemiparesis. Sixty hemiparetic patients [median (min-max)] 58 (33-86) years-old and with 24 (6-29) months after the first stroke were evaluated. The BWD was assessed through ASWT and BWD percentage over the non-paretic limb by posturography. The median ASWT score was 23 (14-27), “partially good capacity of symmetry and weight transfer”. The posturography revealed 59% BWD (50-97), a significant asymmetry to the non-paretic side. Posturography identifies a higher proportion of asymmetric individuals than the ASWT (29 vs. 8, respectively; p=0.003). There was no significant correlation between ASWT and %BWD (ρ=0.001, p=0.992). We concluded that ASWT is not related to asymmetry in the BWD estimated by posturography, suggesting the need of a reassessment of its clinical utility.