Ictus y discapacidad: estudio longitudinal en pacientes con discapacidad moderada-grave tras un ictus incluidos en un programa de rehabilitación multidisciplinar / Disability after stroke: a longitudinal study in moderate and severe stroke patients included in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program

Introducción. Los ictus son causa frecuente de discapacidad en el adulto; sin embargo, la repercusión que los déficits que acontecen tras un ictus moderado-grave tiene sobre el grado de discapacidad final, así como la respuesta de éstos a programas de rehabilitación, no se ha estudiado por completo. Pacientes y métodos. Se incluyeron 396 pacientes con Rankin modificado >= 3 después de un ictus isquémico (n = 221) o hemorrágico (n = 175). En todos los pacientes se evaluó su situación cognitiva, conductual, emocional, motora y funcional. Todos los pacientes fueron incluidos en un programa de rehabilitación multidisciplinar y reevaluados tras seis meses de tratamiento. Resultados. El riesgo de caída (escala de equilibrio de Berg < 45 en el 83,1% de la muestra) y los déficits funcionales (índice de Barthel < 75 en el 82,8% de la muestra) fueron los problemas más prevalentes en el momento del ingreso, mientras que los conductuales lo fueron en el del alta (55,1% de la muestra). Los problemas emocionales fueron los que más mejoraron, mientras que los conductuales fueron los que menos lo hicieron. El nivel de discapacidad global mejoró tras el tratamiento, aunque sólo un 11% de los pacientes, especialmente los que tenían buena situación cognitiva en el ingreso, lograron alcanzar una discapacidad leve. Conclusiones. Las consecuencias del ictus son multidimensionales. La afectación de las distintas esferas y el patrón de recuperación son diferenciales, con predominio a largo plazo de los problemas conductuales (AU)

Introduction. Stroke is a recognized cause of disability among adults. However the impact that the deficits that occur after a moderate/severe stroke have on long-term disability, as well as the response of the resultant deficits to rehabilitation, are not completely understood. Patients and Methods: A total of 396 patients with a modified Rankin score >= 3 after an ischemic (n = 221) or hemorrhagic (n = 175) stroke were included in this study. All patients were assessed with cognitive, behavior, emotional, motor and functional domains. All patients were assessed at baseline and six months after inclusion in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. Results: Risk of falling (Berg Balance Scale < 45 in 83.1% of the sample at baseline and 49.5% at follow-up) and functional problems (82.8% with a Barthel Index < 75 at baseline and 53% at follow-up) were the most prevalent deficits. Emotional disturbances were those that most improved while behavioral problems were those that did less. Although global disability improved during treatment among most patients, only 11% of our patients, especially those with preserved cognitive function at baseline, could be classified as patients with mild disability at follow-up. Conclusions: Stroke consequences are multidimensional. The symptoms that the stroke can cause in multiple domains, as well as the pattern of recovery are widely diverse, with prevalence of behavioral long-term disturbances (AU)

Progression of posturographic findings after acquired brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of balance performance in a sample of patients with increasing postural instability after acquired brain injury (ABI) and to establish the clinical utility of a new computerized posturographic system (NedSVE/IBV). METHODS: This study included 108 patients with ABI divided into five groups from minimal to severe postural impairment. All patients were assessed with the NedSVE/IBV system and with traditional balance measures. Posturographic analyses included the modified clinical test of sensory interaction on balance, the limits of stability and the weight-shifting test. Sensitivity to detect changes and reproducibility were evaluated in 63 patients who were followed-up for 6 months and in 20 patients who were evaluated on two separate occasions during the same week, respectively. RESULTS: The patients showed reduced stability limits, abnormal postural responses and an increased reliance on visual input with differences in intensity directly related to their degree of balance impairment. Posturographic study showed excellent convergent validity, reproducibility and sensitivity to detect changes. CONCLUSION: The data suggests that, regardless of the intensity of postural instability, there is a common mechanism of sensory processing to maintain balance after ABI. The NedSVE-IBV system is a valid tool to quantify balance after ABI.