Use and experienced effectiveness of non-pharmacological treatments for chronic spinal cord injury related pain in The Netherlands: A cross-sectional survey.

Context/objective: Chronic pain is a common secondary condition in spinal cord injury (SCI). Pharmacological interventions to reduce pain are associated with side effects. The reported effects of non-pharmacological treatments are unclear.

Differences in Societal Participation Across Diagnostic Groups: Secondary Analyses of 8 Studies Using the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation.

Objective: To determine differences in participation problems between diagnostic groups and to examine diagnosis as a determinant of participation with and without statistically accounting for confounders.

Design: Secondary analyses of data from 8 studies.

Setting: Community, the Netherlands.

The course of physical functioning in the first two years after stroke depends on peoples' individual movement behavior patterns.

Background And Purpose: Deterioration of physical functioning after stroke in the long term is regarded as a major problem. Currently, the relationship between "peoples'" movement behavior patterns (the composition of sedentary behavior and physical activity during waking hours) directly after stroke and the development of physical functioning over time is unknown. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate (1) the course of physical functioning within the first two years after returning home after stroke, and (2) the association between physical functioning and baseline movement behavior patterns.

Comparison between EQ-5D-5L and PROMIS-10 to evaluate health-related quality of life 3 months after stroke: a cross-sectional multicenter study.

Background: Although the use of patient-reported outcome measures to assess Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) has been advocated, it is still open to debate which patient-reported outcome measure should be preferred to evaluate HRQoL after stroke.

Aim: To compare the measurement properties (including concurrent validity and discriminant ability) between the 5-dimensional 5-level EuroQol (EQ-5D-5L) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 10-Question Global Health Short Form (PROMIS-10) to evaluate HRQoL 3 months after stroke.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

High occurrence of impaired emotion recognition after ischemic stroke.

Introduction: Deficits of emotion recognition after ischemic stroke are often overlooked by clinicians, and are mostly not spontaneously reported by patients. However, impaired emotion recognition after stroke negatively affects the ability to return to work and the quality of life. It is still unknown how often impairments of emotion recognition occur shortly after ischemic stroke.

Exploring the experiences of stroke patients treated with transcranial magnetic stimulation for upper limb recovery: a qualitative study.

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatments have shown promise in improving arm recovery in stroke patients. Currently, little is known about patients' experiences with repetitive TMS treatment, and this lack of knowledge may affect optimal implementation in clinical practice. The aim of this explorative study was to gain insight in the perceived effects and experiences of the design and delivery of a rTMS treatment for upper limb recovery from the perspectives of stroke patients.

Absence of an infarct on MRI is not uncommon after clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke.

Introduction: An infarct on brain MRI is often seen as gold standard when diagnosing ischemic stroke. Although MRI has high sensitivity in detecting a lesion shortly after ischemic stroke, this rapidly declines when time progresses. We assessed the occurrence of a negative MRI 4-6 weeks after a discharge diagnosis of ischemic stroke, and compared the clinical characteristics of patients with a positive or negative MRI.

Prioritization and Timing of Outcomes and Endpoints After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Clinical Trials and Observational Studies: Proposal of a Multidisciplinary Research Group.

Introduction: In studies on aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), substantial variability exists in the use and timing of outcomes and endpoints, which complicates interpretation and comparison of results between studies. The aim of the National Institute of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Library of Medicine Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm (UIA) and SAH common data elements (CDE) Project was to provide a common structure for future UIA and SAH research.

Methods: This article summarizes the recommendations of the UIA and SAH CDE Outcomes and Endpoints subgroup, which consisted of an international and multidisciplinary ad hoc panel of experts in clinical outcomes after SAH.

Social Cognition Impairments in the Long Term Post Stroke.

Objective: To examine the presence of social cognition deficits and the relationship between social and general cognition (eg, attention, mental speed, verbal, visual, or memory abilities) in a large sample of chronic stroke patients and to identify stroke-related factors associated with social cognitive performance.

Design: Inception cohort study in which social cognition was assessed at 3-4 years post stroke.

Setting: Stroke units in 6 general hospitals.

Validation and responsiveness of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument Computerized Adaptive Test in community-dwelling stroke survivors.

Background: Follow-up of stroke survivors is important to objectify activity limitations and/or participations restrictions. Responsive measurement tools are needed with a low burden for professional and patient.

Aim: To examine the concurrent validity, floor and ceiling effects and responsiveness of both domains of the Late-Life Function and Disability Index Computerized Adaptive Test (LLFDI-CAT) in first-ever stroke survivors discharged to their home setting.

A Role for New Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Modalities in Daily Clinical Practice: Protocol of the Prediction of Cognitive Recovery After Stroke (PROCRAS) Study.

Background: Cognitive impairment is common after acute ischemic stroke, affecting up to 75% of the patients. About half of the patients will show recovery, whereas the others will remain cognitively impaired or deteriorate. It is difficult to predict these different cognitive outcomes.

The role of postural control in the association between aerobic capacity and walking capacity in chronic stroke: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Reports on the association between aerobic capacity and walking capacity in people after stroke show disparate results.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine: 1) if the predictive validity of peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) for walking capacity post stroke is different from that of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and 2) if postural control, hemiplegic lower extremity muscle strength, age and gender distort the association between aerobic capacity and walking capacity.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Evaluating the CARE4Carer Blended Care Intervention for Partners of Patients With Acquired Brain Injury: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Support programs for partners of patients with acquired brain injury are necessary since these partners experience several unfavorable consequences of caregiving, such as a high burden, emotional distress, and poor quality of life. Evidence-based support strategies that can be included in these support programs are psychoeducation, skill building, problem solving, and improving feelings of mastery. A promising approach would seem to be to combine web-based support with face-to-face consultations, creating a blended care intervention.

A validation study of the Caregiver Mastery Scale for partners of patients with acquired brain injury.

Objective: To validate the Caregiver Mastery Scale for partners of patients with acquired brain injury.

Design: The score distributions, internal consistency and convergent validity of the Caregiver Mastery Scale were determined.

Subjects: A total of 92 partners (53% male, age 62 years) of patients with acquired brain injury (91% stroke) discharged from inpatient rehabilitation (time since injury 32 months).

Pharmacological Treatment of Visuospatial Neglect: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: The aims of the current review were (1) to give an overview of human studies investigating pharmacotherapy to ameliorate visuospatial neglect and (2) to evaluate the quality of those studies.

Methods: A systematic literature search using PubMed, Scopus, and ResearchGate was conducted in regard to studies that evaluated pharmacological interventions aiming to ameliorate poststroke visuospatial neglect. The search was limited in the following features: species (human), adults (≥18 years of age), language (English), and type of neglect (visuospatial).

Caregiver-mediated exercises for improving outcomes after stroke.

Background: Stroke is a major cause of long-term disability in adults. Several systematic reviews have shown that a higher intensity of training can lead to better functional outcomes after stroke. Currently, the resources in inpatient settings are not always sufficient and innovative methods are necessary to meet these recommendations without increasing healthcare costs.

The Åstrand-Ryhming Test is not a Feasible Measure in Ambulatory Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Background: Ambulatory patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) show a decreased aerobic capacity which may hamper the ability to perform activities of daily living. A standardized measure, however, for assessing aerobic capacity in patients with ALS during the disease course, is lacking.

Objective: To examine the feasibility of the Åstrand-Ryhming (ÅR) test protocol longitudinally in ambulatory patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Temporal Evolution of Poststroke Cognitive Impairment Using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

Background And Purpose: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is nowadays recommended for the screening of poststroke cognitive impairment. However, little is known about the temporal evolution of MoCA-assessed cognition after stroke. The objective of this study was to examine the temporal pattern of overall and domain-specific cognition at 2 and 6 months after stroke using the MoCA and to identify patient groups at risk for cognitive impairment at 6 months after stroke.

Secondary health conditions and quality of life in persons living with spinal cord injury for at least ten years.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of secondary health conditions among persons with long-term spinal cord injury, and the relationship between these secondary health conditions and quality of life.

Design: Multicentre, cross-sectional study.

Subjects: Individuals (n = 282) with traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury for ≥ 10 years, age at injury 18-35 years, current age 28-65 years, and using a wheelchair.

Psychological factors are associated with subjective cognitive complaints 2 months post-stroke.

The aim of this study was to investigate which psychological factors are related to post-stroke subjective cognitive complaints, taking into account the influence of demographic and stroke-related characteristics, cognitive deficits and emotional problems. In this cross-sectional study, 350 patients were assessed at 2 months post-stroke, using the Checklist for Cognitive and Emotional consequences following stroke (CLCE-24) to identify cognitive complaints. Psychological factors were: proactive coping, passive coping, self-efficacy, optimism, pessimism, extraversion, and neuroticism.

Correlates of health related quality of life in adult patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Introduction: To improve care for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), we assessed the physical and mental quality of life (QoL) in 62 adult patients with SMA.

Methods: Physical component scores (PCS) and mental component scores (MCS) of the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) were obtained. Correlations with demographics, disease severity, and emotional distress were assessed.

The Course of Activities in Daily Living: Who Is at Risk for Decline after First Ever Stroke?

Background: Stroke is not only an acute disease, but for the majority of patients, it also becomes a chronic condition. There is a major concern about the long-term follow-up with respect to activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke survivors. Some patients seem to be at risk for decline after a first-ever stroke.

Associations between psychological factors and health-related quality of life and global quality of life in patients with ALS: a systematic review.

Objective: To systematically identify and appraise evidence on associations between psychological factors (moods, beliefs, personality) and Health-related QoL (HRQoL) and/or global QoL in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in several online databases (PsycINFO, EMBASE, PubMed and CINAHL) up to October 2015. Articles were included if they reported associations between psychological factors (moods, beliefs and personality) and HRQoL and/or global QoL in an ALS population.

Longitudinal course of depressive symptoms and anxiety after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Symptoms of anxiety and depression are present in almost half of the patients who survive an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), but the long-term course is unknown.

Aim: To study the longitudinal course and predictors of symptoms of anxiety and depression after aSAH.

Design: Prospective longitudinal study with test occasions at 3 months (baseline), 1 year (T2) and 2-5 years (T3) post-aSAH.