Long-term outcome in children of patients after stroke.

Objective: To investigate the long-term effects on children of parental stroke, with respect to care-giving tasks, children's behavioural problems and stress, and to study the relationship between stress and child, patient and partner characteristics.

Subjects: A total of 44 children (age range 10-21 years) were assessed 3 years after parental stroke.

Main Measures: Behavioural problems were assessed with the Child Behaviour Check List and the Youth Self-Report.

Exercise training program in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of an 8-month training program with standardized exercises on aerobic and anaerobic capacity in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.

Design: Pragmatic randomized controlled clinical trial with blinded outcome evaluation between July 2005 and October 2006.

Setting: Participants were recruited from 4 schools for special education in the Netherlands.

Reproducibility of the Caregiver Strain Index and the Caregiver Reaction Assessment in partners of stroke patients living in the Dutch community.

Objective: To examine the reproducibility and responsiveness of two often-used instruments for caregiver burden: the Caregiver Strain Index and the Caregiver Reaction Assessment.

Design: Repeated administration of self-report questionnaires three years post stroke.

Subjects: Convenience sample of partners of stroke patients.

Spinal cord injury pain: the influence of psychologic factors and impact on quality of life.

Objectives: To examine chronic pain prevalence in a spinal cord injury (SCI) population, and to determine the influence of psychologic factors on SCI pain and impact of SCI pain on quality of life.

Methods: Five hundred seventy-five persons with SCI were asked to participate in the study. Demographic, SCI, and pain characteristics were obtained.

Reliability for running tests for measuring agility and anaerobic muscle power in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: We investigated reliability, construct validity, and feasibility of two sprint tests for children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: Twenty-six children with CP participated (7-18 years of age; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] level I or II). On different occasions, the 10 x 5-Meter Sprint Test and the Muscle Power Sprint Test were scored by different assessors.

Selecting the appropriate outcome in paediatric physical therapy: how individual treatment goals of children with cerebral palsy are reflected in GMFM-88 and PEDI.

Objective: To assess to what extent individual physical therapy treatment goals for children with cerebral palsy are reflected in 2 standardized measures: the GMFM-88 and the PEDI.

Subjects: A total of 36 paediatric physical therapists working in primary healthcare with children with cerebral palsy in their caseload.

Methods: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health was used as a measure to link individual treatment goals to the GMFM-88 and the PEDI.

Determinants of depression in chronic stroke: a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify factors that are significantly related to depression in chronic stroke patients.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of stroke patients admitted for rehabilitation. A total of 165 first ever stroke patients over 18 years of age were assessed at one and three years post stroke.

Perceived health in young adults with spina bifida.

The aims of this study were to compare the perceived health of young adults with spina bifida with a population without disability, and to determine the effect of the disease characteristics and resulting impairments on perceived health. This cross-sectional study is part of the Adolescents with Spina Bifida in the Netherlands study. Data were collected by physical examination and a questionnaire.

Parents of children with cerebral palsy: a review of factors related to the process of adaptation.

Background: Little is known about the way parents adapt to the situation when their child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Methods: A literature search was performed to gain a deeper insight in the process of adaptation of parents with a child with cerebral palsy and on factors related to this process. The selected articles were examined with respect to (i) the type and purpose of the study, (ii) study sample, (iii) variables and instruments and (iv) results on adaptation and stress of the parents.

Long-term functional health status of severely injured patients.

Background: Studies of the consequences of major trauma have traditionally focused on mortality rates. The aims of this study were, firstly, to investigate the long-term functional health status in a large, unselected group of severely injured patients and to compare this with normative data, and secondly, to explore relations between functional health status and personal and injury characteristics.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed at the University Medical Centre Utrecht (a level-1 trauma centre) in The Netherlands.

Impact of time on improvement of outcome after stroke.

Background And Purpose: Longitudinal conducted studies show that neurologic and functional recovery show faster recovery in the first weeks poststroke. The aim of the present study was to study the effects of progress of time on observed improvements in motor strength, synergisms, and activities during the first 16 weeks poststroke.

Methods: Based on data from a previous study, 101 patients with first-ever ischemic middle cerebral artery strokes were prospectively investigated during the first 16 weeks after stroke.

Reliability and validity of data for 2 newly developed shuttle run tests in children with cerebral palsy.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of data obtained with 2 newly developed shuttle run tests (SRT-I and SRT-II) to measure aerobic power in children with cerebral palsy (CP) who were classified at level I or II on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). The SRT-I was developed for children at GMFCS level I, and the SRT-II was developed for children at GMFCS level II.

Subjects: Twenty-five children and adolescents with CP (10 female, 15 male; mean age = 11.

Predicting mobility outcome one year after stroke: a prospective cohort study.

Objective: To develop a prognostic model to predict mobility outcome one year post-stroke.

Design: Prospective cohort study in patients with a first-ever stroke admitted for inpatient rehabilitation.

Patients: A total of 217 patients with stroke (mean age 58 years) following inpatient rehabilitation in 4 rehabilitation centres across the Netherlands.

Functional independence among young adults with spina bifida, in relation to hydrocephalus and level of lesion.

Knowledge about the level of functional independence that can be expected in adulthood might support decisions on the treatment of newborn infants with spina bifida. This study determined functional independence among young adults with spina bifida and its relationships with pathological characteristics known from birth (hydrocephalus and level of lesion). Data were collected from medical records and by physical examination.

Spouses' satisfaction with caregiver support in stroke rehabilitation.

Objective: To examine the satisfaction of spouses of stroke patients with the support given to them during clinical rehabilitation and to explore the relationships between satisfaction and characteristics of the support received.

Methods: Spouses of patients with a first-ever supratentorial stroke were included (n = 194). Satisfaction was measured on a 0-10 scale.

Responsiveness of evaluative measures for children with cerebral palsy: the Gross Motor Function Measure and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to describe responsiveness of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) in a group of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: The subjects were 55 children with cerebral palsy aged 2 to 7 years (mean 4.6 years).

Poststroke hand swelling and oedema: prevalence and relationship with impairment and disability.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of swelling and oedema of the hand in stroke patients and relationships with impairments and disability.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Stroke unit at Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat, The Netherlands.

Children's adjustment to a parent's stroke: determinants of health status and psychological problems, and the role of support from the rehabilitation team.

Objective: To investigate the support given to young children of patients with stroke by rehabilitation teams and to identify characteristics of the patients, spouses and children that relate to children's adjustment 2 months after the patient's discharge.

Subjects And Methods: Seventy-seven children (< or =18 years of age) of patients with stroke consecutively admitted to inpatient rehabilitation were included. Adjustment was measured with the Child Behaviour Check List, Child Depression Inventory and Functional Status II.

Intervention studies for caregivers of stroke survivors: a critical review.

The objective of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of intervention programs for caregivers of stroke patients. A systematic search using Medline, PsychINFO, AMED and CINAHL till March 2003 was carried out and 22 studies were identified. Four types of support programs could be studied: providing specialist services, (psycho)education, counselling and social support by peers.

High prevalence of incontinence among young adults with spina bifida: description, prediction and problem perception.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To study the prevalence of incontinence, problem perception and determinants of urinary and faecal incontinence in young adults with spina bifida.

Setting: Nation-wide study in the Netherlands.

Understanding the pattern of functional recovery after stroke: facts and theories.

Longitudinal studies show that almost all stroke patients experience at least some predictable degree of functional recovery in the first six months post stroke. However, the non-linear pattern as a function of time is not well understood. Several mechanisms are presumed to be involved, such as recovery of penumbral tissues, neural plasticity, resolution of diaschisis and behavioural compensation strategies.

Measures used to assess burden among caregivers of stroke patients: a review.

Objective: To describe measures used to evaluate the burden of caregiving experienced by caregivers of stroke patients and their clinimetric properties.

Design: A review of the literature was conducted to examine burden scales with regard to concept, feasibility, internal consistency, validity, reliability and responsiveness.

Results: The literature search resulted in 45 measures of caregiver outcomes, including 16 different measures of caregiver burden.

Limb distribution, motor impairment, and functional classification of cerebral palsy.

This study explored the relationships between the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), limb distribution, and type of motor impairment. Data used were collected in the Ontario Motor Growth study, a longitudinal cohort study with a population-based sample of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Canada (n=657; age 1 to 13 years at study onset). The majority (87.

Monitoring the functional health status of stroke patients: the value of the Stroke-Adapted Sickness Impact Profile-30.

Purpose: To further validate the Stroke-Adapted Sickness Impact Profile-30 (SA-SIP30) and to determine its responsiveness in a stroke rehabilitation population.

Method: Data of 122 communicative stroke patients (mean age 57 years), selected for an inpatient rehabilitation programme, were available. All had suffered different types of stroke.

Secondary impairments in young adults with spina bifida.

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of secondary impairments in young adults with spina bifida and to relate the prevalence to the type of spina bifida and the level of lesion. This cross-sectional study is part of the ASPINE (Adolescents with Spina Bifida in the Netherlands) study. Data were collected on medical history, hydrocephalus (shunt: yes/no), neurological level of lesion (International Standards for Neurological and Functional Classification of Spinal Cord Injury), visual acuity (Landolt rings), spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale), contractures (range of motion), scoliosis (deviation from perpendicular), ambulation (Hoffer criteria), pressure sores and blood pressure (physical examination), epilepsy, pain, incontinence and sexuality (questionnaire), and cognitive functioning (Raven Standard Progressive Matrices).