A randomised trial of social support group intervention for people with aphasia: A Novel application of virtual reality

About a third of strokes cause aphasia, or language loss, with profound consequences for the person's social participation and quality of life. These problems may be mitigated by group social support. But this intervention is not available to all individuals. This study investigated whether it is feasible to deliver group social support to people with aphasia via a multi-user, virtual reality platform. It also explored the indicative effects of intervention and the costs. Intervention aimed to promote wellbeing and communicative success. It enabled participants to form new social connections and share experiences of living with aphasia. It comprised 14 sessions delivered over 6 months and was led by community based co-ordinators and volunteers. Feasibility measures comprised: recruitment and retention rates, compliance with intervention and assessment of treatment fidelity. Effects of intervention were explored using a waitlist randomised controlled design, with outcome measures of wellbeing, communication, social connectedness and quality of life. Two intervention groups were randomised to an immediate condition and two were randomised to a delayed condition. The main analysis explored scores on the measures between two time points, between which those in the immediate condition had received intervention, but those in the delayed group had not (yet). A comprehensive approach to economic data collection ensured that all costs of treatment delivery were recorded. Feasibility findings showed that the recruitment target was met (N = 34) and 85.3% (29/34) of participants completed intervention. All groups ran the 14 sessions as planned, and participants attended a mean of 11.4 sessions (s.d. 2.8), which was 81.6% of the intended dose. Fidelity checking showed minimal drift from the manualised intervention. No significant change was observed on any of the outcome measures, although the study was not powered to detect these. Costs varied across the four groups, from £7,483 - £12,562 British Pounds Sterling ($10,972 - $18,419 US dollars), depending on travel costs, the relative contributions of volunteers and the number of hardware loans that were needed. The results suggest that a larger trial of remote group support, using virtual reality, would be merited. However the treatment content and regime, and the selection of outcome measures should be reviewed before conducting the trial. Trail registration: Study registered with ClinicalTrials.gov; Identifier: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/NCT03115268.

A systematic review of rehabilitation interventions to prevent and treat depression in post-stroke aphasia

PURPOSE

Stepped psychological care is the delivery of routine assessment and interventions for psychological problems, including depression. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze and synthesize the evidence of rehabilitation interventions to prevent and treat depression in post-stroke aphasia and adapt the best evidence within a stepped psychological care framework.

METHOD

Four databases were systematically searched up to March 2017: Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library.

RESULTS

Forty-five studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Level of evidence, methodological quality and results were assessed. People with aphasia with mild depression may benefit from psychosocial-type treatments (based on 3 level ii studies with small to medium effect sizes). For those without depression, mood may be enhanced through participation in a range of interventions (based on 4 level ii studies; 1 level iii-3 study and 6 level iv studies). It is not clear which interventions may prevent depression in post-stroke aphasia. No evidence was found for the treatment of moderate to severe depression in post-stroke aphasia.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found some interventions that may improve depression outcomes for those with mild depression or without depression in post-stroke aphasia. Future research is needed to address methodological limitations and evaluate and support the translation of stepped psychological care across the continuum. Implications for Rehabilitation Stepped psychological care after stroke is a framework with levels 1 to 4 which can be used to prevent and treat depression for people with aphasia. A range of rehabilitation interventions may be beneficial to mood at level 1 for people without clinically significant depression (e.g., goal setting and achievement, psychosocial support, communication partner training and narrative therapy). People with mild symptoms of depression may benefit from interventions at level 2 (e.g., behavioral therapy, psychosocial support and problem solving). People with moderate to severe symptoms of depression require specialist mental health/behavioral services in collaboration with stroke care at levels 3 and 4 of stepped psychological care.

Does motor imagery training improve hand function in chronic stroke patients? A pilot study

Objective: To assess the efficacy of motor imagery training for arm function in chronic stroke patients. The relation between mental processes such as attentional and perceived personal control over recovery, and motor imagery was additionally investigated.

Design and subjects: Twenty patients with long-term motor impairments (mean two years post stroke), were assessed before and after four weeks of training. Ten patients mentally rehearsed movements with their affected arm. Their recovery was compared with patients who performed nonmotor imagery (n =5), or who were not engaged in mental rehearsal (n =5).

Setting: Patients were recruited from the stroke database of Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. Assessment and training were performed at the patients' home.

Interventions: The motor imagery group was asked to practise daily imagining moving tokens with their affected arm. The nonmotor imagery group rehearsed visual imagery of previously seen pictures. All patients practised physically moving the tokens.

Main measures: The following variables were assessed before and after training: motor function (training task, pegboard and dynamometer), perceived locus of control, attention control and ADL independence.

Results: All patient groups improved on all motor tasks except the dynamometer. Improvement was greater for the motor imagery group on the training task only (average of 14% versus 6%). No effect of motor imagery training was found on perceived or attentional control.

Conclusions: Motor imagery training without supervision at home may improve performance on the trained task only. The relation between movement imagery, attention and perceived personal control over recovery remained unclear.

Does the Volunteer Stroke Scheme improve social outcome after stroke? A response to Geddes and Chamberlain

A recent study by Geddes and Chamberlain (Clin Rehabil 1994;8: 116-26) claimed that the Volunteer Stroke Scheme was particularly effective in bringing about 'social recovery' in patients with communication problems after stroke. This response argues that Geddes and Chamberlain present very little evidence to support this claim. Failings are identified in the group design, the selection of evaluation measures and the analysis of results. It is also argued that, in the current market climate of the National Health Service, such inflated claims from evaluation studies could seriously mislead purchasers. In conclusion, alternative methodologies for this type of evaluation are suggested.

Follow-up services for stroke survivors after hospital discharge--a randomized control study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether follow-up services for stroke survivors could improve functional outcome and reduce readmission rate. In this paper results of functional outcome are reported.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial allocating patients to one of three different types of aftercare: (1) follow-up home visits by a physician, (2) physiotherapist instruction in the patient's home, or (3) standard aftercare.

SUBJECTS

Stroke patients with persisting impairment and disability who, after completing inpatient rehabilitation, were discharged to their homes.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Six months after discharge, functional outcome was assessed with Functional Quality of Movement, Barthel Index, Frenchay Activity Index and Index of Extended Activites of Daily Living.

RESULTS

One-hundred and fifty-five stroke patients were included in the study. Fifty-four received follow-up home visits by a physician, 53 were given instructions by a physiotherapist in their home and 48 received standard aftercare only. No statistically significant differences in functional outcome six months after discharge were demonstrated between the three groups. However, all measurements showed a tendency towards higher scores indicating better function in both interventions groups compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

Follow-up services after stroke may be a way of improving functional outcome. The results of the present study should be evaluated in future trials. More research in this field is needed, especially studies of how to support stroke survivors to resume social and leisure activities.

Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke

BACKGROUND

Aphasia describes language impairment associated with a brain lesion.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this review was to assess the effects of formal speech and language therapy and non-professional types of support from untrained providers for people with aphasia after stroke.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched: March 1999), and reference lists of relevant articles to December 1998. We also contacted academic institutions and other researchers to identify further published and unpublished trials. We searched The International Journal of Disorders of Communication by hand (known by other names in the past), from 1969 to 1998. Date of most recent searches: January 1999.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials comparing: 1. Any type of formal speech and language therapy in any setting administered by trained speech and language therapists versus no treatment. 2. Any type of formal speech and language therapy in any setting administered by trained speech and language therapists versus any type of informal support for aphasia, given by speech and language therapists or volunteers, whether these were trained or untrained. 3. One type of speech and language therapy versus another type. Outcome measures included measures of any type of communication, other measures of functioning, numbers of drop-outs, and other non-clinical outcomes.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The principal reviewer collected the data, and assessed the quality of the trials with independent data checking and methodological advice. If we could not perform a statistical combination of different studies, we sought missing data. Failing that we provided a description.

MAIN RESULTS

We considered sixty studies in detail, from which we identified twelve trials suitable for the review. Most of these trials were relatively old with poor or unassessable methodological quality. None of the trials was detailed enough for us to complete description and analysis. We could not determine whether formal speech and language therapy is more effective than informal support.

REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS

The main conclusion of this review is that speech and language therapy treatment for people with aphasia after a stroke has not been shown either to be clearly effective or clearly ineffective within a RCT. Decisions about the management of patients must therefore be based on other forms of evidence. Further research is required to find out if effectiveness of speech and language therapy for aphasic patients is effective. If researchers choose to do a trial, this must be large enough to have adequate statistical power, and be clearly reported.

The impact of stroke on informal carers: a literature review

Stroke incidence is set to rise in Western societies as population projections predict an increase in the proportion of older people. Most of these stroke survivors are supported by close kin members who play an important role in the rehabilitation and care of this group. The objective of this review was to establish the following: (a) to evaluate the impact of the stroke on the informal carers' quality of life, (b) to identify factors which help carers to cope with their caring role, (c) to evaluate health service provision for stroke carers. A systematic literature search using BIDS-EMBASE, MEDLINE and PSYCHLIT, identified 31 relevant studies. These showed that most studies concentrated on carers' psychological health and the negative impact that the stroke had. Carers ability to cope with the stroke was enhanced both by the use of positive coping strategies and more concrete measures e.g. more stroke information. Furthermore, whilst most carers were generally satisfied with health services, the few interventions directed at improving carer outcomes showed mixed results. The studies reviewed had many limitations; few gave definitions of 'informal' carer and there was a predominant use of cross-sectional studies and non-standardised outcome measures. Future studies should broaden their research question to evaluate quality of life, using standardised measures to do this and employing either a longitudinal or randomised control design to improve the robustness of results. More studies are also needed evaluating the effectiveness of health services on carers' quality of life.

Outcome following stroke

A community study based on an age-stratified sample of those aged 55 years and older in a northern health district in the United Kingdom has been used to consider the implications for purchasing health-care services for those who have survived a stroke. The study showed that while almost a quarter of those reporting a stroke had made a full recovery, a wide range of impairments and disabilities persisted. Almost half reported needing help at least daily. A logistic regression model to predict this level of dependency found that impairments, disabilities and other factors, such as locality, were also predictive of dependency. A second model predicting mobility handicap (dwelling restricted) was found to have a similar mix of predictors. These results show how purchasers must consider the broad outcome in terms of a continuum of impairment, disability and handicap. The results also show that handicap is a distinct concept that draws together many influences which act upon the individual.

Development of a neurological rehabilitation environment: an observational study

BACKGROUND

Engagement in therapeutic activity among stroke inpatients is advocated by many rehabilitation professionals. However, there is a lack of published evidence to indicate whether this is currently being achieved.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the extent and types of 'rehabilitation' activities on a new neurological rehabilitation ward, and examine change in patients' behaviour related to the new environment and new initiatives.

DESIGN

Five one-week observation periods were conducted over two years, with a total of 67 patients being observed. A comparison was made with results of an earlier study of stroke patients' activities conducted at the same hospital.

RESULTS

Patients spent an average 43 min per day with therapists (9% of the working day) and this was only marginally supplemented by self-exercise (2% of the working day--approximately 10 min). However, the provision of a new rehabilitation environment was associated with a marked decrease in the time patients spent at their bedsides, and a decrease in time spent passively gazing or watching others.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall there was some positive change in patients' behaviour. We suggest that structured guidance is required from the whole multidisciplinary team to stimulate more self-directed therapy practice and recreation.