The effect of augmented speech-language therapy delivered by telerehabilitation on post stroke aphasia – a pilot randomized controlled trial

Pilot a definitive randomized controlled trial of speech-language telerehabilitation in poststroke aphasia in addition to usual care with regard to recruitment, drop-outs, and language effects. Pilot single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Telerehabilitation delivered from tertiary rehabilitation center to participants at their home or admitted to secondary rehabilitation centers. People with naming impairment due to aphasia following stroke. Sixty-two participants randomly allocated to 5 hours of speech and language telerehabilitation by videoconference per week over four consecutive weeks together with usual care or usual care alone. The telerehabilitation targeted functional, expressive language. Main measures: Norwegian Basic Aphasia Assessment: naming (primary outcome), repetition, and auditory comprehension subtests; Verb and Sentence Test sentence production subtest and the Communicative Effectiveness Index at baseline, four weeks, and four months postrandomization. Data were analyzed by intention to treat. No significant between-group differences were seen in naming or auditory comprehension in the Norwegian Basic Aphasia Assessment at four weeks and four months post randomization. The telerehabilitation group ( n = 29) achieved a Norwegian Basic Aphasia Assessment repetition score of 8.9 points higher ( P = 0.026) and a Verb and Sentence Test score 3 points higher ( P = 0.002) than the control group ( n = 27) four months postrandomization. Communicative Effectiveness Index was not significantly different between groups, but increased significantly within both groups. No adverse events were reported. Augmented telerehabilitation via videoconference may be a viable rehabilitation model for aphasia affecting language outcomes poststroke. A definitive trial with 230 participants is needed to confirm results

Impact of White Matter Lesions on Cognition in Stroke Patients Free from Pre-Stroke Cognitive Impairment: A One-Year Follow-Up Study

Background/Aim: Post-stroke cognitive impairment and dementia may be caused by pure vascular, pure degenerative or mixed disease. The relation between post-stroke cognitive impairment and the combination of vascular pathology and degenerative changes is less evaluated. We aimed to evaluate the associations between white matter lesions (WMLs) and patient performance 1 year after stroke on tests of executive functioning, memory and visuospatial function, adjusted for the effects of lifestyle and disease-related factors, including medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTLA). Methods: Patients with a first-ever stroke or transient ischemic attack were invited to participate in the study. The associations between the cognitive test performances and WMLs were studied using linear regression [Trail Making Test B (TMT B) and 10-word test] and logistic regression (Clock Drawing Test). Results: In total, 199 patients completed the follow-up. The TMT B (p = 0.029) and the 10-word test (p = 0.014) were significantly associated with WMLs; however, the Clock Drawing Test (p = 0.19) was not. The TMT B (p = 0.018) and the 10-word test (p ≤ 0.001) were both significantly associated with MTLA. Conclusion: Impaired executive functioning and memory are significantly associated with WMLs and MTLA. The mechanisms explaining post-stroke cognitive impairment are multifactorial, including different types of vascular pathology and coexisting vascular and degenerative changes

Self-reported cognitive and psychiatric symptoms at 3 months predict single-item measures of fatigue and daytime sleep 12 months after ischemic stroke

Introduction: Post-stroke fatigue and increased need for daytime sleep are multidimensional and insufficiently understood sequelae. Our aim was to study the relationships of self-reported cognitive and psychiatric symptoms at 3 months with fatigue and daytime sleep at 12 months post-stroke. Methods: Ischemic stroke patients without reported history of dementia or depression completed postal surveys 3- and 12-months post-stroke. At 3 months, psychiatric symptoms were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and self-reported changes in cognitive symptoms (concentration and memory) compared to pre-stroke were assessed using single-item measures. At 12 months, single-item questions about changes in self-reported difficulties sleeping at night, fatigue and daytime sleep were included. First, we studied whether self-reported cognitive and/or psychiatric symptoms at 3 months were associated with daytime sleep and fatigue at 12 months using multiple logistic regression. Second, we fitted 2 structural equation models (SEMs) predicting fatigue and 2 models predicting daytime sleep. We compared a model where only age, sex, stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; NIHSS), and difficulties sleeping at night predicted fatigue and daytime sleep at 12 months to a model where mental distress (i.e., a latent variable built of cognitive and psychiatric symptoms) was included as an additional predictor of fatigue and daytime sleep at 12 months. Results: Of 156 patients (NIHSS within 24 hours after admission (mean ± SD) = 3.6 ± 4.3, age = 73.0 ± 10.8, 41% female) 37.9% reported increased daytime sleep and 50.0% fatigue at 12 months. Increased psychiatric symptoms and worsened cognitive symptoms were associated with fatigue and daytime sleep at 12 months, after controlling for NIHSS, age, sex, and difficulties sleeping at night. SEM models including mental distress as predictor showed adequate model fit across 3 fit measures (highest RMSEA = 0.063, lowest CFI and TLI, both 0.975). Models without mental distress were not supported. Conclusion: Self-reported cognitive and psychiatric symptoms at 3 months predict increased daytime sleep and fatigue at 12 months. This highlights the relevance of monitoring cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in the subacute phase post-stroke. However, future research using validated measures of self-reported symptoms are needed to further explore these relationships.publishedVersio

Blood pressure differences between patients with lacunar and nonlacunar infarcts

Background Elevated blood pressure is frequently seen in acute stroke, and patients with lacunar and nonlacunar infarcts may have different underlying mechanisms for increase in blood pressure. The impact of hypertension as a risk factor may also vary. The aims of the present study were to investigate blood pressure in patients presenting with lacunar syndromes but with different anatomical subtypes of stroke, to explore the impact of subtype on blood pressure, and to identify stroke-related factors associated with hypertension. Methods Consecutive patients presenting with an acute lacunar syndrome were enrolled. Patients were classified into a lacunar or nonlacunar group based on radiological verified infarcts. Blood pressure was measured. Between-group differences were analyzed by χ2-test, t-test, and Mann–Whitney U test, as appropriate. We performed linear regression to analyze the association between blood pressure and lacunar infarct, and multiple linear regression to adjust for other covariates. Results One hundred thirteen patients were included. Seventy five percent had lacunar and 25% nonlacunar infarcts. There was no significant difference in clinical severity between the two groups. In the linear regression model, we found a significant association between blood pressure and lacunar infarct. No other factor was significantly associated with blood pressure in the two groups. Conclusions Lacunar infarcts may be independently associated with higher blood pressure compared to nonlacunar infarcts with the same clinical severity. Blood pressure differences between different subtypes of stroke may not be related to clinical severity but to the underlying cause of stroke

Determinants of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T elevation in acute ischemic stroke

Background A proportion of patients with acute ischemic stroke have elevated cardiac troponin levels and ECG changes suggestive of cardiac injury, but the etiology is unclear. The aims of this study were to assess the frequency of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) elevation, to identify determinants and ECG changes associated with hs-cTnT elevation, to identify patients with myocardial ischemia and to assess the impact of hs-cTnT elevation on in-hospital mortality. Methods Patients discharged with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke during a 1-year period, were included. Patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (MI) within the last 7 days before admission or during hospitalization were excluded. Results In all, 156 (54.4%) of 287 patients had elevated hs-cTnT. The factors independently associated with hs-cTnT elevation were age ≥ 76 years (OR 3.71 [95% CI 2.04-6.75]), previous coronary heart disease (CHD) (OR 2.61 [1.23-5.53]), congestive heart failure (OR 4.26 [1.15-15.82]), diabetes mellitus (OR 4.02 [1.50-10.76]) and lower eGFR (OR 0.97 [0.95-0.98]). Of the 182 patients who had two hs-cTnT measurements, 12 (6.6%) had both a rise or fall of hs-cTnT with at least one elevated value, and ECG manifestations of myocardial ischemia, e.g. meeting the criteria of acute MI. Both dynamic relative change (p = 0.026) and absolute change (p = 0.032) in hs-cTnT were significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Conclusions Established CHD and cardiovascular risk factors are associated with hs-cTnT elevation. Acute MI is likely underdiagnosed in acute ischemic stroke patients. Dynamic changes in troponin levels seem to be related to poor short-term prognosis

Changes in survival and characteristics among older stroke unit patients-1994 versus 2012

Objectives Treatment on organized stroke units (SUs) improves survival after stroke, and stroke mortality has decreased worldwide in recent decades; however, little is known of survival trends among SU patients specifically. This study investigates changes in survival and characteristics of older stroke patients receiving SU treatment. Materials & Methods We compared 3‐year all‐cause mortality and baseline characteristics in two cohorts of stroke patients aged ≥60 consecutively admitted to the same comprehensive SU in 1994 (n = 271) and 2012 (n = 546). Results Three‐year survival was 53.9% in 1994 and 56.0% in 2012, and adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.77–1.28). Adjusted 30‐day case fatality was slightly higher in 2012, 18.9% versus 16.2%, HR 1.68 (95% CI: 1.14–2.47). There were no significant between‐cohort differences in survival beyond 30 days. Patients in 2012 were older (mean age: 78.8 vs. 76.7 years) and more often admitted from nursing homes. There were higher rates of atrial fibrillation (33.7% vs. 21.4%) and malignancy (19.2% vs. 8.9%), and prescription of antiplatelets (46.9% vs. 26.2%) and warfarin (16.3% vs. 5.5%) at admission. Stroke severity was significantly milder in 2012, proportion with mild stroke 66.1% versus 44.3%. Conclusions Three‐year survival in older Norwegian stroke patients treated on an SU remained stable despite improved treatment in the last decades. Differences in background characteristics may explain this lack of difference; patients in 2012 were older, more often living in supported care, and had higher prestroke comorbidity; however, their strokes were milder and risk factors more often treated

Patient knowledge on stroke risk factors, symptoms and treatment options

Background: Public campaigns focus primarily on stroke symptom and risk factor knowledge, but patients who correctly recognize stroke symptoms do not necessarily know the reason for urgent hospitalization. The aim of this study was to explore knowledge on stroke risk factors, symptoms and treatment options among acute stroke and transient ischemic attack patients. Methods: This prospective study included patients admitted to the stroke unit at the Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Norway. Patients with previous cerebrovascular disease, patients receiving thrombolytic treatment and patients who were not able to answer the questions in the questionnaire were excluded. Patients were asked two closed-ended questions: “Do you believe that stroke is a serious disorder?” and “Do you believe that time is of importance for stroke treatment?”. In addition, patients were asked three open-ended questions where they were asked to list as many stroke risk factors, stroke symptoms and stroke treatment options as they could. Results: A total of 173 patients were included, of whom 158 (91.3%) confirmed that they regarded stroke as a serious disorder and 148 patients (85.5%) considered time being of importance. In all, 102 patients (59.0%) could not name any treatment option. Forty-one patients (23.7%) named one or more adequate treatment options, and they were younger (p<0.001) and had higher educational level (p<0.001), but had a nonsignificant shorter prehospital delay time (p=0.292). Conclusion: The level of stroke treatment knowledge in stroke patients seems to be poor. Public campaigns should probably also focus on information on treatment options, which may contribute to reduce prehospital delay and onset-to-treatment-time

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on stroke admission rates in a Norwegian population

Objectives There are concerns that public anxiety around COVID‐19 discourages patients from seeking medical help. The aim of this study was to see how lockdown due to the pandemic affected the number of admissions of acute stroke. Methods All patients discharged from Akershus University Hospital with a diagnosis of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or acute stroke were identified by hospital chart review. January 3 to March 12 was defined as before, and March 13 to April 30 as during lockdown. Results There were 21.8 admissions/week before and 15.0 admissions/week during the lockdown (P < .01). Patients had on average higher NIHSS during the lockdown than before (5.9 vs. 4.2, P = .041). In the multivariable logistic regression model for ischemic stroke (adjusted for sex, age, living alone and NIHSS ≤ 5), there was an increased OR of 2.05 (95% CI 1.10‐3.83, P = .024) for not reaching hospital within 4.5 hours during the lockdown as compared to the period before the lockdown. Conclusion There was a significant reduction in number of admissions for stroke and TIAs during the lockdown due to the COVID‐19 pandemic in Norway