Home-based therapy beneficial for stroke patients (p 352)January 28, 2004A systematic review of published studies investigating the provision of therapy-based services targeted towards people living at home who have had strokes highlights the benefits of these services-the main finding shows that the rate of deterioration in the ability to carry out daily living tasks could be reduced by up to 30% for patients who receive therapy in the home environment. Stroke is one of the most frequent causes of disability in developed countries and accounts for considerable costs for health and social services. Organised inpatient care in multidisciplinary stroke units can reduce adverse health outcomes compared with less organised inpatient care; however, there is no widespread agreement concerning the effects of rehabilitation services for stroke patients once they have left hospital. Lynn Legg from the University of Glasgow, UK, and colleagues did a systematic review of randomised trials of outpatient services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and multidisciplinary teams. 14 trials involving over 1600 stroke patients were included for analysis. All patients were living at home within one year of stroke onset or discharge from hospital. Therapy-based rehabilitation services for stroke patients living at home reduced the odds of deteriorating in personal activities of daily living (eg. walking, dressing) by 28% and increased the ability of patients to undertake activities of daily living by 14% Ms Legg comments: "Our results suggest that a therapy-based rehabilitation service could be beneficial. Although the health gain we recorded is fairly modest, we know of no other intervention at present that can provide this increase at this stage of recovery. The exact nature and content of therapy-based rehabilitation services is not answered by our review; neither is the most effective way to structure provision of these services, nor their economic benefits. What does seem clear is that the debate should move from whether such services are effective to how to make the most of their benefits." Lancet |
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| Related Stroke Current Events and Stroke News Articles Menopause-cardiology consensus statement on cardiovascular disease and on HRT A menopause-cardiology consensus statement has called for direct action to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in menopausal women. The statement also concludes that there is little evidence of increased CVD risk in taking HRT. Fat around the middle increases the risk of dementia Women who store fat on their waist in middle age are more than twice as likely to develop dementia when they get older, reveals a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy. New discovery about the formation of new brain cells The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue, reveals new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy published in the journal Stem Cells. Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic." New understanding about mechanism for cell death after stroke leads to possible therapy Scientists at the Brain Research Centre, a partnership of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, have uncovered new information about the mechanism by which brain cells die following a stroke, as well as a possible way to mitigate that damage. Surgery not linked to memory problems in older patients For years, it has been widely assumed that older adults may experience memory loss and other cognitive problems following surgery. But a new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis questions those assumptions. Pushing the brain to find new pathways Until recently, scientists believed that, following a stroke, a patient had about six months to regain any lost function. After that, patients would be forced to compensate for the lost function by focusing on their remaining abilities. Night Beat, Overtime and a Disrupted Sleep Pattern Can Harm Officers' Health A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep. Vitamin B niacin offers no extra benefit to statin therapy in seniors already diagnosed with CAD The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows. The benefits of exercise Physical exercise is one of the most effective methods of preventing disease. The current issue of Deutsches Arzteblatt International is devoted to this important topic. More Stroke Current Events and Stroke News Articles |
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