Predicting fatigue 1 year after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Fatigue is an important contributor to quality of life in patients who survive aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but the determinants of this fatigue are unclear. We assessed the occurrence of fatigue 1 year after SAH and its relation to physical or cognitive impairment, passive coping, and emotional problems, measured 3 months after SAH. This was a prospective cohort study of 108 patients who visited our SAH outpatient clinic 3 months after SAH and who were living independently in the community 1 year after SAH.

Development of daily activities in school-age children with cerebral palsy.

The purpose of this study was to describe the course of capabilities in self-care, mobility, and social function in school-age children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to investigate associations with CP-, child-, and family-characteristics. A clinic-based sample of children with CP (n = 116; 76 males, 40 females; mean age 6 y 3 mo, SD 12 mo) was followed longitudinally in three yearly measurements. Children's capabilities were assessed with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Functional Skills Scale (PEDI-FSS).

Reproducibility of three self-report participation measures: The ICF Measure of Participation and Activities Screener, the Participation Scale, and the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation.

Objective: To assess the reproducibility of 3 participation measures.

Design: Repeated administration of a postal questionnaire with a 2-week interval.

Participants: Outpatients (n = 47) from 2 rehabilitation centres and a university hospital in The Netherlands.

Participation and quality of life in children and adolescents with congenital limb deficiencies: A narrative review.

Children and adolescents with congenital limb deficiencies are visibly and physically different from their peers. They present limitations in activities, depending on the severity of deficiency. Therefore they are at risk for lower participation in social and leisure activities.

Aerobic capacity in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.

This study described the aerobic capacity [VO(2peak) (ml/kg/min)] in contemporary children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) using a maximal exercise test protocol. Twenty-four children and adolescents with CP classified at Gross Motor Functional Classification Scale (GMFCS) level I or level II and 336 typically developing children were included. All children performed a progressive exercise test on a treadmill with respiratory gas-exchange analysis.

Cross-cultural validation and psychometric evaluation of the Dutch language version of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) in children with and without physical disabilities.

Objective: To assess construct validity, test-retest reliability and inter-interviewer reliability of the intensity dimension of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) for children with and without physical disabilities in the Netherlands.

Subjects: In total, 232 children aged 6-18 years (110 male, 122 female) participated. Seventy-four children with various physical disabilities and 158 without a disability.

Short-term changes in parents' resolution regarding their young child's diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

Objective: This study aimed to describe changes in parents' resolution regarding their young child's diagnosis of cerebral palsy over a period of 1 year, and to describe the changes in strategies of resolution.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, 38 parents of children with cerebral palsy (mean age 18.4 months, SD = 1.

Social support and life satisfaction in spinal cord injury during and up to one year after inpatient rehabilitation.

Objective: To describe the course of social support in persons with recently acquired spinal cord injury, and to examine direct and indirect relationships between social support and life satisfaction over time.

Design: A multi-centre prospective cohort study with measurements at the start of active rehabilitation, at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation and one year after discharge.

Subjects: One hundred and ninety individuals with spinal cord injury from 8 Dutch rehabilitation centres.

Outcome parameters in spinal cord injury research: a systematic review using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a reference.

Objectives: This study is part of the development of an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for spinal cord injury (SCI). Its specific objectives were to identify outcome parameters reported in published studies on individuals with SCI in the early post-acute and chronic situation, and to identify and quantify the concepts of the reported parameters using the ICF as a reference.

Methods: Electronic searches of Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL from 2001 to 2005 were carried out.

Relationship between gross motor capacity and daily-life mobility in children with cerebral palsy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between gross motor capacity and daily-life mobility in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to explore the moderation of this relationship by the severity of CP.

Method: Cross-sectional analysis in a cohort study with a clinic-based sample of children with CP (n=116; 76 males, 40 females; mean age 6 y 3 mo, SD 12 mo, range 4 y 8 mo-7 y 7 mo) was performed. Gross motor capacity was assessed by the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66).

Care needs of persons with long-term spinal cord injury living at home in the Netherlands.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Objectives: To describe the care received, care needs and preventability of secondary conditions according to persons with long-term spinal cord injury (SCI) living at home.

Setting: The Netherlands.

Validation of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life scale in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: Disease specific quality of life measures have been validated for patients with ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage, but not for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). The aim of this study was to validate the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QoL) scale for patients with SAH.

Methods: Cross sectional survey of 141 aneurysmal SAH patients.

Cost-effectiveness of a structured progressive task-oriented circuit class training programme to enhance walking competency after stroke: the protocol of the FIT-Stroke trial.

Background: Most patients who suffer a stroke experience reduced walking competency and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). A key factor in effective stroke rehabilitation is intensive, task-specific training. Recent studies suggest that intensive, patient-tailored training can be organized as a circuit with a series of task-oriented workstations.

Perceptions of family participation among parents of children with cerebral palsy followed from infancy to toddler hood.

Background: Little is known about the way parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) perceive their involvement in family and personal life situations, also called 'family participation'.

Purpose: To investigate the perception of family participation among parents of preschool children with CP.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were used to describe how parents (n=53) of children with CP (aged 18 months) perceive participation with respect to family activities and their personal activities.

Relation between physical fitness and gross motor capacity in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.

Aim: To examine the relation between physical fitness and gross motor capacity in children with cerebral palsy (CP) who were classified in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I or II.

Method: In total, 68 children with CP (mean age 12y 1mo, SD 2y 8mo; 44 males, 24 females; 45 classified as having spastic unilateral CP, 23 as having spastic bilateral CP) participated in this study. All participants performed a maximal aerobic exercise test (10m Shuttle Run Test), a short-term muscle power test (Muscle Power Sprint Test), an agility test (10x5m sprint test), and a functional muscle strength test (30s repetition maximum) within 2 weeks.

Efficient screening of cognitive dysfunction in stroke patients: comparison between the CAMCOG and the R-CAMCOG, Mini Mental State Examination and Functional Independence Measure-cognition score.

Background: The CAMCOG is a valid screening instrument for cognitive dysfunction in stroke patients but too time-consuming to be used by physicians in acute or post-acute care settings. The aim of this study was to identify a shorter cognitive screening test or combination of tests that yields the same results as the CAMCOG.

Methods: A total of 169 stroke patients completed the CAMCOG and the abbreviated Rotterdam-CAMCOG (R-CAMCOG), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the cognitive part of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM cognition) after admission to clinical rehabilitation and 1 year after stroke.

Restrictions in social participation of young adults with spina bifida.

Purpose: To determine participation restrictions of young adults with spina bifida (SB) in relation to health condition and activity limitations.

Method: A total of 179 persons aged 16-25 years and born with SB participated in a cross-sectional study. The main outcome on four domains of participation (independent living, employment, education and partner relationships) was assessed using a structured questionnaire.

Association between motor and mental functioning in toddlers with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the association between motor and mental functioning in toddlers with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: The Mental and Motor Scales of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) were administered.

Subjects: Seventy-eight toddlers with CP (mean age 2 years 7 months, SD 1 month; 43 boys, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-V).

Development and validation of IMPACT-S, an ICF-based questionnaire to measure activities and participation.

Objective: IMPACT-S is the screener part of the ICF Measure of Participation and ACTivities questionnaire. IMPACT-S consists of 33 items in 9 scales, reflecting the 9 activity and participation chapters of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The reliability and validity of IMPACT-S as an independent brief measure of activities and participation was examined.

Characteristics, length of stay and functional outcome of patients with spinal cord injury in Dutch and Flemish rehabilitation centres.

Study Design: Multi-centre prospective descriptive study.

Objective: To establish a profile of the population affected with traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) admitted to rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium) and to describe determinants of length of stay (LOS) and functional outcome.

Setting: Eleven rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands and Flanders.

Reliability of hand-held dynamometry and functional strength tests for the lower extremity in children with Cerebral Palsy.

Purpose: To evaluate the intertester reliability of two methods for measuring lower-limb strength in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: Twenty-five subjects with CP (7-17 years of age) participated in this study. Lower-limb muscle strength was measured on 2 occasions using a Hand-held Dynamometer (HHD; break-method and make-method) and a 30-sec Repetition Maximum (RM) during three functional strength tests for the lower extremities.

Parental reactions following the diagnosis of cerebral palsy in their young child.

Objective: To investigate parental reactions following the diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) in their young children.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 51 parents of children with CP (mean age = 18.5 months, SD = 1.

Work participation among young adults with spina bifida in the Netherlands.

The aim of this study was to: (1) assess work participation among young adults with spina bifida, (2) identify problems perceived in finding employment, and (3) examine which determinants are related to work participation. This cross-sectional study was a follow-up study to the Adolescents with SPina bifida In the Netherlands (ASPINE) study. Data regarding work participation and problems finding employment were collected with questionnaire developed by the authors.

Community ambulation in patients with chronic stroke: how is it related to gait speed?

Objective: To explore the strength of the association between gait speed and community ambulation and whether this association is significantly distorted by other variables.

Design: Cross-sectional study conducted 3 years after stroke.

Subjects: A total of 102 patients after first-ever stroke following inpatient rehabilitation who are now living in the community.