Fatigue After Stroke Educational Recovery Program: A Prospective, Phase III, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Poststroke fatigue affects ≈50% of patients with stroke, causing significant personal, societal, and economic burden. In the FASTER (Fatigue After Stroke Educational Recovery) study, we assessed a group-based educational intervention for poststroke fatigue.

Methods And Results: Two hundred patients with clinically significant fatigue were included and randomized to either a general stroke education control or fatigue management group (FMG) intervention and assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months.

Usability and feasibility of PreventS-MD web app for stroke prevention.

Background: Most strokes and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are potentially preventable if their risk factors are identified and well controlled. Digital platforms, such as the PreventS-MD web app (PreventS-MD) may aid health care professionals (HCPs) in assessing and managing risk factors and promoting lifestyle changes for their patients.

Methods: This is a mixed-methods cross-sectional two-phase survey using a largely positivist (quantitative and qualitative) framework.

Methodology of the fatigue after stroke educational recovery group randomized controlled trial.

Rationale: Post-stroke fatigue affects up to 92% of stroke survivors, causing significant burden. Educational cognitive behavioral therapy fatigue groups show positive results in other health conditions.

Aims: FASTER will determine if educational cognitive behavioral therapy fatigue management group reduces subjective fatigue in adults post-stroke.

Auckland Stroke Outcomes Study. Part 1: Gender, stroke types, ethnicity, and functional outcomes 5 years poststroke.

Background: Studying long-term stroke outcomes including body functioning (neurologic and neuropsychological impairments) and activity limitations and participation is essential for long-term evidence-based rehabilitation and service planning, resource allocation, and improving health outcomes in stroke. However, reliable data to address these issues is lacking.

Methods: This study (February 2007-December 2008) sourced its participants from the population-based incidence study conducted in Auckland in 2002-2003.

Effects of moderate-dose omega-3 fish oil on cardiovascular risk factors and mood after ischemic stroke: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: Fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids have long been associated with cardiovascular protection. In this trial, we assessed whether treatment with a guideline-recommended moderate-dose fish oil supplement could improve cardiovascular biomarkers, mood- and health-related quality of life in patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods: Patients with CT-confirmed stroke were randomized to 3 g/day encapsulated fish oil containing approximately 1.

Does blood pressure lowering treatment prevents dementia or cognitive decline in patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease?

There is increasing evidence that both hypertension and stroke play important roles in the development of cognitive decline and dementia. Despite five high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in this area to date, there remains uncertainty about the role of blood pressure lowering therapy in the prevention of cognitive decline and dementia. It appears that lack of definitive results from these trials can be explained on the basis of (a) insufficient power to detect modest treatment effects; (b) measurement error in the diagnosis of dementia; (c) variations in the treatment effects between different types of antihypertensive agents; and (d) bias due to missing data, variation in baseline factors such as levels of blood pressure, and the inclusion of patients with cognitive impairment at entry.

The Acute Stroke Unit at Middlemore Hospital: an evaluation in its first year of operation.

Aim: Despite strong evidence of benefit, few stroke units exist in New Zealand. In this paper, we describe the process and outcome for the country's first, comprehensive Acute Stroke Unit (ASU), established at Middlemore Hospital in 2001.

Methods: The evaluation comprised: (a) two independent 'before and after' audits of medical records of a random selection of patients (2 x n=100) identified from Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) discharge codes for stroke in 1999 (12 months) and 2001-02 (9 months); (b) a review of all DRG stroke outcome data and internal cost analyses for the study periods; and (c) a 'time-in-motion' study of nursing care requirements.

Shoulder pain in people with a stroke: a population-based study.

Objective: To measure the occurrence of shoulder pain after stroke. To identify the factors that predict risk of shoulder pain after stroke.

Design: Auckland Stroke Study, population-based case-cohort study.

The Perindopril Protection Against Recurrent Stroke Study (PROGRESS): clinical implications for older patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Blood pressure levels are strongly predictive of the risks of first-ever and recurrent stroke. The benefits of blood pressure-lowering therapy for the prevention of fatal and non-fatal stroke in middle-aged individuals are well established. However, until recently, there has been uncertainty about the consistency of such benefits across different patient groups and in particular, for older people and in those with a history of stroke.