Kessler researchers link spatial neglect after stroke with poor outcomes
Stroke patients with spatial neglect less likely to return home; more likely to fall and have longer stays
September 29, 2015. Using the Kessler Foundation Neglect Assessment Process (KF-NAP), Kessler researchers found a high rate of spatial neglect among inpatients with stroke. Affected patients had a higher risk for falls, longer lengths of stay and lesser likelihood of returning home after discharge. “Impact of Spatial Neglect on Stroke Rehabilitation: Evidence from the Setting of an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility” was published in the Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. The authors are Peii Chen, PhD, and A.M. Barrett of Kessler Foundation, and Kimberly Hreha, MS, and Yekyung Kong, MD of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.
Of 108 stroke patients screened at admission with the KF-NAP, 68.4% had spatial neglect. This complication was more common and more severe after right brain stroke. “Higher KF-NAP scores were associated with lower FIM scores and prolonged recovery during rehabilitation,” said Peii Chen, PhD, research scientist. “Falls were 6.5 times more likely in the group with spatial neglect and hospital stays were 10 days longer. Moreover, people with spatial neglect were 45% less likely to be discharged home. To lessen this negative impact on outcomes, screening for spatial neglect and specific early intervention are essential.”
This research supported by Kessler Foundation, the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Improvement, Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, and the National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research and the National Institutes of Health.
About Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation
Research studies span all domains of post-stroke cognitive dysfunction, but emphasize hidden disabilities after stroke, including hidden disabilities of functional vision (spatial bias and spatial neglect). Students, resident physicians, and post-doctoral trainees are mentored in translational neuroscience of rehabilitation. Dr. Barrett and her colleagues work closely with the clinical staff at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. Among their collaborative efforts are the founding of the Network for Spatial Neglect and development of the Kessler Foundation Neglect Assessment Process (KF-NAPTM) and the Kessler Foundation Prism Adaptation Therapy (KF-PATTM). Stroke Research receives funding from the Department of Education/NIDILRR; the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders & Stroke, the National Institutes of Health/NICHD/NCMRR; Kessler Foundation; the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey; and the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Improvement. Scientists have faculty appointments at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org; Facebook.com/KesslerFoundation; Tweet us @KesslerFdn
Contacts:
Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, [email protected]
Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384, 973.768.6583 - c, [email protected]
