Good Clinical Practices for the Management of Post-Stroke Spasticity with BoNT-A: A Delphi-Based Approach from the Italian Expert Group.

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke spasticity (PSS) is a common complication in stroke survivors, significantly impairing functional recovery and quality of life. Despite its prevalence, Italy lacks national guidelines or structured good clinical practice documents, resulting in heterogeneous clinical management.

METHODS

An Italian Delphi study was conducted to establish expert-based recommendations for PSS management. A panel of 93 rehabilitation medicine specialists and neurologists, each with over 5 years of experience in PSS management with botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A), participated in two rounds of voting on 47 statements drafted and approved by seven Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), recognized for their national and international expertise. Consensus was defined as ≥75% of respondents answering 'strongly agree' or 'somewhat agree'.

RESULTS

In Round 1, consensus was reached for 90% of statements; five items did not achieve the threshold. After revision and a second round, consensus was achieved for all items, including consideration of lesion site in clinical management and the role of adjuvant post-injection interventions. The panel's heterogeneity ensured broad representativeness.

CONCLUSION

This Delphi study provides the first structured Italian expert recommendations for PSS management. Full consensus was reached in all 47 statements and in the Symptoms domain, particularly regarding pain, stiffness and heaviness, which highlights the importance of a structured framework to support consistent, individualized care. By standardizing patient assessment, treatment planning, and follow-up strategies, these findings provide a practical reference for clinicians.