METHODS: A total 98 in-hospital first ever acute stroke patients were recruited, and their Barthel Index scores were measured at the time of discharge, at 1 month and 3 months post-discharge. The Barthel Index was scored through telephone interviews. We employed the random intercept model from linear mixed effect regression to model the change of Barthel Index scores during the three months intervals. The prognostic factors included in the model were acute stroke subtypes, age, sex and time of measurement (at discharge, at 1 month and at 3 month post-discharge).
RESULTS: The crude mean Barthel Index scores showed an increased trend. The crude mean Barthel Index at the time of discharge, at 1-month post-discharge and 3 months post-discharge were 35.1 (SD = 39.4), 64.4 (SD = 39.5) and 68.8 (SD = 38.9) respectively. Over the same period, the adjusted mean Barthel Index scores estimated from the linear mixed effect model increased from 39.6 to 66.9 to 73.2. The adjusted mean Barthel Index scores decreased as the age increased, and haemorrhagic stroke patients had lower adjusted mean Barthel Index scores compared to the ischaemic stroke patients.
CONCLUSION: Overall, the crude and adjusted mean Barthel Index scores increase from the time of discharge up to 3-month post-discharge among acute stroke patients. Time after discharge, age and stroke subtypes are the significant prognostic factors for Barthel Index score changes over the period of 3 months.
OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to identify important parameters in designing tasks that efficiently assess hand function of stroke patients and to quantify potential benefits of robotic assessment modules to predict the conventional assessment score with iRest.
METHODS: Twelve predictive variables were explored, relating to movement time, velocity, strategy, accuracy and smoothness from three robotic assessment modules which are Draw I, Draw Diamond and Draw Circle. Regression models using up to four predictors were developed to describe the MAS.
RESULTS: Results show that the time given should be not too long and it would affect the trajectory error. Besides, result also shows that it is possible to use iRest in predicting MAS score.
CONCLUSION: There is a potential of using iRest, a non-motorized device in predicting MAS score.
METHODS: Patients with cryptogenic stroke referred between August 2014 and February 2017 had ILRs implanted. Episodes of AF >2 minutes duration were recorded using proprietary algorithms within the ILRs, whereupon clinicians and patients were alerted via remote monitoring. All AF episodes were adjudicated using recorded electrograms. Once AF was detected, patients were counseled for anticoagulation.
RESULTS: Seventy-one patients with cryptogenic stroke, (age 61.9 ± 13.5 years, 77.5% male, mean CHA2DS2VASc score of 4.2 ± 1.3) had ILRs implanted. Time from stroke to the ILR implant was a median of 66 days. Duration of ILR monitoring was 345 ± 229 days. The primary endpoint of AF detection at 6 months was 12.9%; and at 12 months it was 15.2%. Median time to detection of AF was 50 days. The AF episodes were all asymptomatic and lasted a mean of 77 minutes (± 118.9). Anticoagulation was initiated in all but 1 patient found to have AF.
CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of occult AF is high in Asian patients with cryptogenic stroke and comparable to western cohorts. The combination of ILR and remote monitoring is a highly automated, technologically driven, and clinically effective technique to screen for AF.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A large scale survey of 13 centers in Malaysia was conducted involving 806 nurses in relation to oral hygiene care intentions and practices. In addition, information on personal and environmental factors was collected.
RESULTS: The response rate was 95.6% (778/806). The domains of the Theory of Planned Behavior were significantly associated with general intention to perform oral hygiene care: attitudes (β = 0.21, p stroke patients. Several provider and environmental factors were also associated with intentions and practices. This has implications for understanding and improving the implementation of oral hygiene care in stroke rehabilitation. Implications for Rehabilitation Oral hygiene care is crucial for stroke patients as it can prevent oral health problems and potentially life threatening events (such as aspiration pneumonia). Despite oral hygiene care being relative simple to perform, it is often neglected during stroke rehabilitation. A large-scale national survey was conducted to understand "intentions to" and "performance of" oral hygiene care to stroke patients using the Theory of Planned Behavior social cognition model. These study findings may have implications and use in promoting oral hygiene care to stroke patients:i) by understanding the pathways and influences to perform oral hygiene care.ii) to conduct health promotion and health education based on behavioral models such as Theory of Planned Behavior.
METHODS: This is an assessor blinded randomized controlled trial comparing 2 intervention approaches namely ART-added physiotherapy (experimental group) and usual physiotherapy (control group). A total of 70 post-stroke patients will be recruited and allocated into either the ART-added physiotherapy or the usual physiotherapy group. The ART-added physiotherapy group will undergo a 20-minute ART session followed by 40 minutes of usual physiotherapy. While the usual physiotherapy group will receive usual physiotherapy alone for 60 minutes. All participants will be treated once a week and are required to carry out a set of home exercises for 2 times per week during the 12-week intervention. Assessment of emotional status and functional independence will be carried out at pre-intervention and week 13 of the intervention with the use of Hospital anxiety and depression scale, Barthel index, and EuroQol-5 dimensions-5 levels. All data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
DISCUSSION: The expected main study outcome is an enhanced evidence-based physiotherapy program that may be used by physiotherapists in the rehabilitation of stroke patients with emotional disturbances.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619001664134 (last updated on 28/11/2019).
METHODS: This is an international, multicenter, hospital-based study on stroke incidence and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will describe patterns in stroke management, stroke hospitalization rate, and stroke severity, subtype (ischemic/hemorrhagic), and outcomes (including in-hospital mortality) in 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic, comparing them with the corresponding data from 2018 and 2019, and subsequently 2021. We will also use an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to assess the change in stroke hospitalization rates before, during, and after COVID-19, in each participating center.
CONCLUSION: The proposed study will potentially enable us to better understand the changes in stroke care protocols, differential hospitalization rate, and severity of stroke, as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, this will help guide clinical-based policies surrounding COVID-19 and other similar global pandemics to ensure that management of cerebrovascular comorbidity is appropriately prioritized during the global crisis. It will also guide public health guidelines for at-risk populations to reduce risks of complications from such comorbidities.
METHODS: The American Heart Association, through its Statistics Committee, continuously monitors and evaluates sources of data on heart disease and stroke in the United States to provide the most current information available in the annual Statistical Update. The 2021 Statistical Update is the product of a full year's worth of effort by dedicated volunteer clinicians and scientists, committed government professionals, and American Heart Association staff members. This year's edition includes data on the monitoring and benefits of cardiovascular health in the population, an enhanced focus on social determinants of health, adverse pregnancy outcomes, vascular contributions to brain health, the global burden of cardiovascular disease, and further evidence-based approaches to changing behaviors related to cardiovascular disease.
RESULTS: Each of the 27 chapters in the Statistical Update focuses on a different topic related to heart disease and stroke statistics.
CONCLUSIONS: The Statistical Update represents a critical resource for the lay public, policy makers, media professionals, clinicians, health care administrators, researchers, health advocates, and others seeking the best available data on these factors and conditions.