scholarly journals Practical guidance on use of TEARS-Q to diagnose post-stroke emotionalism

2021 ◽  
pp. 026921552110248
Author(s):  
Niall M Broomfield ◽  
Robert West ◽  
Mark Barber ◽  
David C Gillespie ◽  
Allan House ◽  
...  

Objective: To evaluate, using a classification tree methodology, the ability of the Testing Emotionalism After Recent Stroke – Questionnaire (TEARS-Q) to determine the need for further assessment of post-stroke emotionalism and to identify those whose emotionalism is sufficiently clear that they need assessment for potential intervention. Setting: Acute stroke units of nine Scottish hospitals in the context of a longitudinal cohort study of post-stroke emotionalism. Subjects: A total of 228 stroke survivors recruited between October 1st 2015 and September 30th 2018, within two weeks of stroke. Measures: The measure was the self-report questionnaire TEARS-Q, constructed based on recognised diagnostic features of post-stroke tearful emotionalism. The reference standard was presence/absence of emotionalism on a diagnostic, semi-structured post-stroke emotionalism interview, administered at the same assessment point. Results: Nine of 159 subjects scoring 0 or 1 on TEARS-Q were diagnosed with post-stroke emotionalism on the reference standard, compared to 11 of 21 subjects scoring 2 to 5 on TEARS-Q and 42 of 48 participants scoring 6 and above. Adding age, sex, deprivation, stroke type, stroke severity, mood, cognition, daily functioning and education did not improve the prediction accuracy sufficiently to change the classification tree. Conclusion: TEARS-Q reliably identifies those who need no further post-stroke emotionalism assessment, those who need further assessment to clarify diagnosis, and those who almost certainly have post-stroke emotionalism and may benefit from intervention.

2020 ◽  
pp. 026921552098172
Author(s):  
Niall M Broomfield ◽  
Robert West ◽  
Allan House ◽  
Theresa Munyombwe ◽  
Mark Barber ◽  
...  

Objective: To evaluate, psychometrically, a new measure of tearful emotionalism following stroke: Testing Emotionalism After Recent Stroke – Questionnaire (TEARS-Q). Setting: Acute stroke units based in nine Scottish hospitals, in the context of a longitudinal cohort study of post-stroke emotionalism. Subjects: A total of 224 clinically diagnosed stroke survivors recruited between October 1st 2015 and September 30th 2018, within 2 weeks of their stroke. Measures: The measure was the self-report questionnaire TEARS-Q, constructed based on post-stroke tearful emotionalism diagnostic criteria: (i) increased tearfulness, (ii) crying comes on suddenly, with no warning (iii) crying not under usual social control and (iv) crying episodes occur at least once weekly. The reference standard was presence/absence of emotionalism on a diagnostic, semi-structured post-stroke emotionalism interview, administered at the same assessment point. Stroke, mood, cognition and functional outcome measures were also completed by the subjects. Results: A total of 97 subjects were female, with a mean age 65.1 years. 205 subjects had sustained ischaemic stroke. 61 subjects were classified as mild stroke. TEARS-Q was internally consistent (Cronbach’s alpha 0.87). TEARS-Q scores readily discriminated the two groups, with a mean difference of −7.18, 95% CI (−8.07 to −6.29). A cut off score of 2 on TEARS-Q correctly identified 53 of the 61 stroke survivors with tearful emotionalism and 140 of the 156 stroke survivors without tearful emotionalism. One factor accounted for 57% of the item response variance, and all eight TEARS-Q items acceptably discriminated underlying emotionalism. Conclusion: TEARS-Q accurately diagnoses tearful emotionalism after stroke.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Peter Langhorne

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The concept of stroke unit care has been discussed for over 50 years, but it is only in the last 25 years that clear evidence of its effectiveness has emerged to inform these discussions. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> This review outlines the history of the concept of stroke units to improve recovery after stroke and their evaluation in clinical trials. It describes the first systematic review of stroke unit trials published in 1993, the establishment of a collaborative research group (the Stroke Unit Trialists’ Collaboration), the subsequent analyses and updates of the evidence base, and the efforts to implement stroke unit care in routine settings. The final section considers some of the remaining challenges in this area of research and clinical practice. <b><i>Key Messages:</i></b> Good quality evidence confirms that stroke patients who are looked after in a stroke unit are more likely to survive and be independent and living at home 1 year after their stroke. The apparent benefits are independent of patient age, sex, stroke type, or initial stroke severity. The benefits are most obvious in units based in a discrete ward (stroke ward). The current challenges include integrating effective stroke units with more recent systems to deliver hyper-acute stroke interventions and implementing stroke units in lower resource regions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Jing Xie ◽  
Ming Dong ◽  
Qun Liu ◽  
Hong-Mei Meng

AbstractBackground: The purpose of this study was to identify predictors and preventative treatments for post-stroke epilepsy (PSE). Methodology: Eighty-four patients who had suffered a cerebrovascular insult (within 72 hours) were recruited and divided into two groups: an EP group (patients with seizures after stroke) and a NEP group (patients without seizures after stroke). The NEP group was then subdivided into three groups: a control group, a GABA (γ-aminobutiric acid) group (received GABA orally), and a CCB group (received calcium channel blocker nimodipine orally). Patient groups were compared by gender, age, past medical history, stroke type, number of lesions, and position and stroke severity (using Scandinavian stroke scale, SSS). Forearm venous blood was sampled, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure plasma levels of neurotransmitters and Ca


2013 ◽  
Vol 169 (6) ◽  
pp. 759-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
N David Åberg ◽  
Sandra Olsson ◽  
Daniel Åberg ◽  
Katarina Jood ◽  
Tara M Stanne ◽  
...  

ObjectiveIn humans, serum IGF1 (s-IGF1) is associated with outcome after ischemic stroke (IS). Therefore variation at the IGF1 locus could also associate with both IS and s-IGF1. We investigated whether genetic variation at the IGF1 locus is associated with i) s-IGF1, ii) IS occurrence, iii) IS severity, and iv) post-stroke outcome.Design/methodsPatients (n=844; 66% males, mean age 56 years) and community controls (n=668) were included from the Sahlgrenska Academy Study on Ischemic Stroke (SAHLSIS). Post-stroke outcome was evaluated with the modified Rankin Scale at 3 and 24 months after index stroke, and baseline stroke severity with the Scandinavian Stroke Scale. s-IGF1 was determined in patients and after random selection in 40 of the controls.ResultsEleven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected in the IGF1 gene. In healthy controls the major allele of rs7136446 was associated with higher s-IGF1, whereas in patients no such association was found. No SNP was associated with IS, nor with stroke severity. After multivariate correction for presence of diabetes, smoking, and hypertension, the major allele of rs7136446 was associated with favorable functional outcome 24-months post-stroke (odds ratio 1.46; 95% CI 1.09–1.96).ConclusionVariation in rs7136446 of the IGF1 gene associates with post-stroke outcome in relatively young IS patients. Also, rs7136446 associates with s-IGF1 in controls but not in IS, which indicates that IS perturbs a normal genetic impact on s-IGF1 levels.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (12) ◽  
pp. 932-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Kristin Aaslund ◽  
Rolf Moe-Nilssen ◽  
Bente Bassøe Gjelsvik ◽  
Bård Bogen ◽  
Halvor Næss ◽  
...  

Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011748
Author(s):  
Owen A Williams ◽  
Nele Demeyere

Objective:Investigate the associations between general cognitive impairment and domain specific cognitive impairment with post-stroke depression and anxiety at six-months post-stroke.Methods:Participants were confirmed acute stroke patients from the OCS-CARE study who were recruited on stroke wards in a multi-site study and followed up at a 6 months post-stroke assessment. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale sub-scales, with scores greater than seven indicating possible mood disorders. General cognitive impairment at follow-up was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, stroke-specific cognitive domain impairments was assessed using the Oxford Cognitive Screen. Linear regression was used to examine the associations between cognition and depression/anxiety symptoms at 6-months, controlling for acute-stroke severity and ADL-impairment, age, sex, education, and co-occurring post-stroke depression/anxiety.Results:437 participants mean age=69.28 years (S.D.=12.17), 226 male (51.72%), were included in analyses. Six-month post-stroke depression (n=115, 26%) was associated with six-month impairment on the MoCA (beta [b] =0.96, standard error [SE] =0.31, p=0.006), and all individual domains assessed by the OCS: spatial attention (b=0.67, SE=0.33, p =0.041), executive function (b=1.37, SE=0.47, p=0.004), language processing (b=0.87, SE=0.38, p=0.028), memory (b=0.76, SE=0.37, p=0.040), number processing (b=1.13, SE=0.40, p=0.005), praxis (b=1.16, SE =0.49, p=0.028). Post-stroke anxiety (n=133, 30%) was associated with impairment on the MoCA (b=1.47, SE=0.42, p=0.001), and spatial attention (b=1.25, SE=0.45, p=0.006), these associations did not remain significant after controlling for co-occurring post-stroke depression.Conclusion:Domain-general and domain-specific post-stroke cognitive impairment was found to be highly related to depressive symptomatology but not anxiety symptomatology.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 685-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Taylor-Rowan ◽  
Oyiza Momoh ◽  
Luis Ayerbe ◽  
Jonathan J. Evans ◽  
David J. Stott ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundDepression is a common post-stroke complication. Pre-stroke depression may be an important contributor, however the epidemiology of pre-stroke depression is poorly understood. Using systematic review and meta-analysis, we described the prevalence of pre-stroke depression and its association with post-stroke depression.MethodsWe searched multiple cross-disciplinary databases from inception to July 2017 and extracted data on the prevalence of pre-stroke depression and its association with post-stroke depression. We assessed the risk of bias (RoB) using validated tools. We described summary estimates of prevalence and summary odds ratio (OR) for association with post-stroke depression, using random-effects models. We performed subgroup analysis describing the effect of depression assessment method. We used a funnel plot to describe potential publication bias. The strength of evidence presented in this review was summarised via ‘GRADE’.ResultsOf 11 884 studies identified, 29 were included (total participantsn= 164 993). Pre-stroke depression pooled prevalence was 11.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.2–14.7]; range: 0.4–24% (I295.8). Prevalence of pre-stroke depression varied by assessment method (p= 0.02) with clinical interview suggesting greater pre-stroke depression prevalence (~17%) than case-note review (9%) or self-report (11%). Pre-stroke depression was associated with increased odds of post-stroke depression; summary OR 3.0 (95% CI 2.3–4.0). All studies were judged to be at RoB: 59% of included studies had an uncertain RoB in stroke assessment; 83% had high or uncertain RoB for pre-stroke depression assessment. Funnel plot indicated no risk of publication bias. The strength of evidence based on GRADE was ‘very low’.ConclusionsOne in six stroke patients have had pre-stroke depression. Reported rates may be routinely underestimated due to limitations around assessment. Pre-stroke depression significantly increases odds of post-stroke depression.Protocol identifierPROSPERO identifier: CRD42017065544


Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Carter Denny ◽  
Suhas S Bajgur ◽  
Kim Y Vu ◽  
Rahul R Karamchandani ◽  
Amrou Sarraj ◽  
...  

Introduction: Post-stroke cognitive dysfunction (CD) affects at least 1/3 of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients when assessed at 3 months. Limited data exists on CD in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The role of early, in-hospital cognitive screening using the brief Montreal Cognitive Assessment (mini MoCA) is being investigated at our center. Hypothesis: We assessed the rates of early CD in ICH and AIS and hypothesized that even minor deficits from these disorders causes significant CD. Methods: 1218 consecutive stroke patients admitted from 2/13 to 12/13 were reviewed; 610, 442 with AIS and 168 with ICH, with admission NIHSS and mini MoCAs were included in the final analyses. CD was defined as mini MoCA <9 (max 12). Poor outcome was defined as discharge mRS 4-6. Stroke severity was stratified by NIHSS score of 0-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-42 as in ECASS-I . Chi-squared tests and univariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Baseline characteristics are shown in table 1. AIS and ICH groups were similar with regard to race, gender and stroke severity. ICH patients were younger, had longer stroke service lengths of stay and poorer outcomes than AIS patients (p=0.03, p<0.001, p<0.001). No difference was seen in rates of CD between AIS and ICH patients (60% vs. 57%, p=0.36, OR 1.2 (CI 0.8-1.7)). CD rates ranged from 36% for NIHSS 0-5 to 96% for 21-42 (figure 1). Older patients were twice as likely to have CD (p<0.001, OR 2.2 (CI 1.6 - 3.0)). Patients with CD had five times the odds of having a poor outcome compared to the cognitively intact (p<0.001, OR 5.2 (CI 3.4-7.7)). In univariate logistic regression analyses, age was a significant predictor of CD in AIS, but not in ICH (p= <0.001, p=0.06). Conclusion: Post-stroke CD is common across all severities and occurs at similar rates in AIS and ICH. More than 1/3 of patients with minor deficits (NIHSS 0-5) had CD in the acute hospital setting. Whether early CD is predictive of long term cognitive outcomes deserves further study.


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