Racial/Ethnic differences in poststroke rehabilitation outcomes.
Conclusions. Black stroke survivors appear to generally achieve poorer functional outcomes than White stroke survivors. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the precise magnitude of these differences, whether they go beyond chance, and the underlying contributory mechanisms.
PMID: 25028619 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Changes in predicted muscle coordination with subject-specific muscle parameters for individuals after stroke.
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of subject-specific muscle force and activation deficits on predicted muscle coordination when using musculoskeletal models for individuals after stroke. Maximum force generating ability and central activation ratio of the paretic plantar flexors, dorsiflexors, and quadriceps muscle groups were obtained using burst superimposition for four individuals after stroke with a range of walking speeds. Two models were created per subject: one with generic and one with subject-specific activation and maximum isometric force parameters. The inclusion of subject-specific muscle d...
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Endovascular and surgical options for ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms: review of the literature.
Authors: Santiago-Dieppa DR, Pannell JS, Khalessi AA
Abstract
Middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms are common entities, and those of the bifurcation are the most frequently encountered sublocation of MCA aneurysm. MCA bifurcation (MBIF) aneurysms commonly present with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), are devastating, and are often lethal. At the present time, the treatment of ruptured MBIF aneurysms entails either endovascular or open microneurosurgical methods to permanently secure the aneurysm(s). The purpose of this report is to review the current available data regarding the relative superiority of end...
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Functional Brain Correlates of Upper Limb Spasticity and Its Mitigation following Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke Survivors.
Conclusions. Contralesional motor regions may contribute to restoring control of muscle tone in chronic stroke.
PMID: 25101190 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Do improvements in balance relate to improvements in long-distance walking function after stroke?
Authors: Awad LN, Reisman DS, Binder-Macleod SA
Abstract
Stroke survivors identify a reduced capacity to walk farther distances as a factor limiting their engagement at home and in community. Previous observational studies have shown that measures of balance ability and balance self-efficacy are strong predictors of long-distance walking function after stroke. Consequently, recommendations to target balance during rehabilitation have been put forth. The purpose of this study was to determine if the changes in balance and long-distance walking function observed following a 12-week poststroke walking rehabil...
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Y-Stenting for Bifurcation Aneurysm Coil Embolization: What is the Risk?
Authors: Spiotta AM, Lena J, Chaudry MI, Turner RD, Turk AS
Abstract
The use of two stents in a "Y" configuration (Y-stenting) to assist with coil embolization of complex bifurcation aneurysms has been accepted as an alternative to clip reconstruction of a select subset of challenging aneurysms. We review the risks associated with Y-stenting, including its procedural complication rates, angiographic occlusion rates, rerupture, and retreatment rates.
PMID: 25120940 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells intrathecal transplantation in chronic stroke.
This study demonstrates the potential of autologous BMMNCs intrathecal transplantation in improving the prognosis of functional recovery in chronic stage of stroke. Further clinical trials are recommended. This trial is registered with NCT02065778.
PMID: 25126443 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Poststroke muscle architectural parameters of the tibialis anterior and the potential implications for rehabilitation of foot drop.
Authors: Ramsay JW, Wessel MA, Buchanan TS, Higginson JS
Abstract
Poststroke dorsiflexor weakness and paretic limb foot drop increase the risk of stumbling and falling and decrease overall functional mobility. It is of interest whether dorsiflexor muscle weakness is primarily neurological in origin or whether morphological differences also contribute to the impairment. Ten poststroke hemiparetic individuals were imaged bilaterally using noninvasive medical imaging techniques. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to identify changes in tibialis anterior muscle volume and muscle belly length. Ultrasonography ...
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Role of matrix metalloproteinase activity in the neurovascular protective effects of Angiotensin antagonism.
Conclusions. Acute administration of candesartan reduces injury after stroke despite increasing MMP activity, likely by an antioxidant mechanism.
PMID: 25147751 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
The adverse effect of spasticity on 3-month poststroke outcome using a population-based model.
Authors: Belagaje SR, Lindsell C, Moomaw CJ, Alwell K, Flaherty ML, Woo D, Dunning K, Khatri P, Adeoye O, Kleindorfer D, Broderick J, Kissela B
Abstract
Several devices and medications have been used to address poststroke spasticity. Yet, spasticity's impact on outcomes remains controversial. Using data from a cohort of 460 ischemic stroke patients, we previously published a validated multivariable regression model for predicting 3-month modified Rankin Score (mRS) as an indicator of functional outcome. Here, we tested whether including spasticity improved model fit and estimated the effect spasticity had ...
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Differences in Plantar Flexor Fascicle Length and Pennation Angle between Healthy and Poststroke Individuals and Implications for Poststroke Plantar Flexor Force Contributions.
Authors: Ramsay JW, Buchanan TS, Higginson JS
Abstract
Poststroke plantar flexor muscle weakness has been attributed to muscle atrophy and impaired activation, which cannot collectively explain the limitations in force-generating capability of the entire muscle group. It is of interest whether changes in poststroke plantar flexor muscle fascicle length and pennation angle influence the individual force-generating capability and whether plantar flexor weakness is due to uniform changes in individual muscle force contributions. Fascicle lengths and pennation angles for the soleus, medial, and lateral gastroc...
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Rasch analysis of a new hierarchical scoring system for evaluating hand function on the motor assessment scale for stroke.
Conclusion. Following a multistep process of test development, analysis, and refinement, we have redesigned the two scales that comprise the hand function items on the MAS. The hand movement scale contains an empirically validated 10-behavior hierarchy and the hand activities item contains an empirically validated 8-behavior hierarchy.
PMID: 25177513 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Does inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation augment functional task practice to improve arm recovery in chronic stroke?
Conclusions. rTMS did not augment changes in UE motor ability in this population of individuals with chronic stroke. The chronicity of our participant cohort and their degree of UE motor impairment may have contributed to inability to produce marked effects using rTMS.
PMID: 25197611 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
Walking adaptability after a stroke and its assessment in clinical settings.
The objectives of this review were to examine the conceptual challenges for clinical measurement of walking adaptability and summarize the current state of clinical assessment for walking adaptability. We created nine domains of walking adaptability from dimensions of community mobility to address the conceptual challenges in measurement and reviewed performance-based clinical assessments of walking to determine if the assessments measure walking adaptability in these domains. Our literature review suggests the lack of a comprehensive well-tested clinical assessment tool for measuring walking adaptability. Accordingly, rec...
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
The role of prestroke glycemic control on severity and outcome of acute ischemic stroke.
Conclusions. Our study suggests that poor glycemic control (baseline HbA1c) prior to IS is an independent risk factor for poor survival and a marker for increased stroke severity and unfavorable long-term functional outcome.
PMID: 25295219 [PubMed] (Source: Stroke Research and Treatment)
Source: Stroke Research and Treatment - December 2, 2014 Category: Neurology Tags: Stroke Res Treat Source Type: research
