Optimising the measurement of blood glucose and cholesterol in patients who had an acute stroke: a quality improvement project.

Hypercholesterolaemia and diabetes are established modifiable risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. A baseline audit carried out on an acute stroke ward at a District General Hospital in East Kent showed variability in blood tests being requested on admission for patients who had a suspected stroke, in particular serum glucose and cholesterol levels. Our aim was to ensure that at least 80% of patients admitted to the stroke ward with a suspected stroke had blood glucose and cholesterol levels measured on admission, over an 18-week period.

Multiple dimensions of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Background: In this study we investigated subjective measures of sleepiness and related our findings to dimensions of affect, fatigue, emotion, mood and quality of life based on a hypothetical multidimensional model of sleepiness.

Methods: Patients referred to a sleep clinic were assessed regarding their excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), sleep complaints, routine and symptoms. Age, gender and body mass index (BMI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS), the Samn-Perelli fatigue Scale (SPS), the Global Vigor and Affect Scale (GVS and GAS, respectively), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A and HADS-D, respectively), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PAS and NAS, respectively) scores were recorded.