NISAN - the National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences

Permanent link for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10292/10244

Institute Director: Professor Valery Feigin

Deputy Director: Associate Professor Alice Theadom

The National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences (NISAN) conducts epidemiological studies and clinical trials to improve health and outcomes in people with major neurological disorders. Current research programmes focus on:

Stroke
Traumatic brain injury
Neuromuscular disorders

Research with this aim is unique in New Zealand and NISAN is a hub for information sharing and developing a cohesive network between existing research and clinical groups with interests in:

Neuroepidemiology
Public health
Neurorehabilitation
Neuropsychology
Biostatistics

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 10

Assessing the Individual Risk of Stroke in Caregivers of Patients with Stroke
(Georg Thieme Verlag KG, 2024-03-11) Marquez-Romero, Juan Manuel; Romo-Martínez, Jessica; Hernández-Curiel, Bernardo; Ruiz-Franco, Angélica; Krishnamurthi, Rita; Feigin, Valery
BACKGROUND: Genetic factors influence the risk of developing stroke. Still, it is unclear whether this risk is intrinsically high in certain people or if nongenetic factors explain it entirely. OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of stroke in kin and nonkin caregivers. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study using the Stroke Riskometer app (AUT Ventures Limited, Auckland, AUK, New Zealand), we determined the 5- and 10-year stroke risk (SR) among caregivers of stroke inpatients. The degree of kinship was rated with a score ranging from 0 to 50 points. RESULTS: We studied 278 caregivers (69.4% of them female) with a mean age of 47.5 ± 14.2 years. Kin caregivers represented 70.1% of the sample, and 49.6% of them were offspring. The median SR at 5 years was of 2.1 (range: 0.35-17.3) versus 1.73 (range: 0.04-29.9), and of 4.0 (range: 0.45-38.6) versus 2.94 (range: 0.05-59.35) at 10 years for the nonkin and kin caregivers respectively. In linear logistic regression controlled for the age of the caregivers, adding the kinship score did not increase the overall variability of the model for the risk at 5 years (R2 = 0.271; p = 0.858) nor the risk at 10 years (R2 = 0.376; p = 0.78). CONCLUSION: Caregivers of stroke patients carry a high SR regardless of their degree of kinship.
Comparative Effectiveness of Decompressive Craniectomy Versus Craniotomy for Traumatic Acute Subdural Hematoma (CENTER-TBI): An Observational Cohort Study
(Elsevier BV, 2023) van Essen, TA; van Erp, IAM; Lingsma, HF; Pisică, D; Yue, JK; Singh, RD; van Dijck, JTJM; Volovici, V; Younsi, A; Kolias, A; Peppel, LD; Heijenbrok-Kal, M; Ribbers, GM; Menon, DK; Hutchinson, PJA; Manley, GT; Depreitere, B; Steyerberg, EW; Maas, AIR; de Ruiter, GCW; Peul, WC; Åkerlund, C; Amrein, K; Andelic, N; Andreassen, L; Anke, A; Antoni, A; Audibert, G; Azouvi, P; Azzolini, ML; Bartels, R; Barzó, P; Beauvais, R; Beer, R; Bellander, BM; Belli, A; Benali, H; Berardino, M; Beretta, L; Blaabjerg, M; Bragge, P; Brazinova, A; Brinck, V; Brooker, J; Brorsson, C; Buki, A; Bullinger, M; Cabeleira, M; Caccioppola, A; Calappi, E; Calvi, MR; Cameron, P; Lozano, GC; Carbonara, M; Castaño-León, AM; Cavallo, S; Chevallard, G; Chieregato, A; Citerio, G; Clusmann, H; Coburn, MS; Coles, J; Cooper, JD; Correia, M; Čović, A; Curry, N; Czeiter, E; Czosnyka, M; Dahyot-Fizelier, C; Dark, P; Dawes, H; De Keyser, V; Degos, V; Della Corte, F; Boogert, HD; Đilvesi, Đ; Dixit, A; Donoghue, E; Dreier, J; Dulière, GL; Ercole, A; Esser, P; Ezer, E; Fabricius, M; Feigin, VL; Foks, K; Frisvold, S; Furmanov, A; Gagliardo, P; Galanaud, D; Gantner, D; Gao, G; George, P; Ghuysen, A; Giga, L; Glocker, B; Golubović, J; Gomez, PA; Gratz, J; Gravesteijn, B
Background: Limited evidence existed on the comparative effectiveness of decompressive craniectomy (DC) versus craniotomy for evacuation of traumatic acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) until the recently published randomised clinical trial RESCUE-ASDH. In this study, that ran concurrently, we aimed to determine current practice patterns and compare outcomes of primary DC versus craniotomy. Methods: We conducted an analysis of centre treatment preference within the prospective, multicentre, observational Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (known as CENTER-TBI) and NeuroTraumatology Quality Registry (known as Net-QuRe) studies, which enrolled patients throughout Europe and Israel (2014–2020). We included patients with an ASDH who underwent acute neurosurgical evacuation. Patients with severe pre-existing neurological disorders were excluded. In an instrumental variable analysis, we compared outcomes between centres according to treatment preference, measured by the case-mix adjusted proportion DC per centre. The primary outcome was functional outcome rated by the 6-months Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended, estimated with ordinal regression as a common odds ratio (OR), adjusted for prespecified confounders. Variation in centre preference was quantified with the median odds ratio (MOR). CENTER-TBI is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02210221, and the Resource Identification Portal (Research Resource Identifier SCR_015582). Findings: Between December 19, 2014 and December 17, 2017, 4559 patients with traumatic brain injury were enrolled in CENTER-TBI of whom 336 (7%) underwent acute surgery for ASDH evacuation; 91 (27%) underwent DC and 245 (63%) craniotomy. The proportion primary DC within total acute surgery cases ranged from 6 to 67% with an interquartile range (IQR) of 12–26% among 46 centres; the odds of receiving a DC for prognostically similar patients in one centre versus another randomly selected centre were trebled (adjusted median odds ratio 2.7, p < 0.0001). Higher centre preference for DC over craniotomy was not associated with better functional outcome (adjusted common odds ratio (OR) per 14% [IQR increase] more DC in a centre = 0.9 [95% CI 0.7–1.1], n = 200). Primary DC was associated with more follow-on surgeries and complications [secondary cranial surgery 27% vs. 18%; shunts 11 vs. 5%]; and similar odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR per 14% IQR more primary DC 1.3 [95% CI (1.0–3.4), n = 200]). Interpretation: We found substantial practice variation in the employment of DC over craniotomy for ASDH. This variation in treatment strategy did not result in different functional outcome. These findings suggest that primary DC should be restricted to salvageable patients in whom immediate replacement of the bone flap is not possible due to intraoperative brain swelling. Funding: Hersenstichting Nederland for the Dutch NeuroTraumatology Quality Registry and the European Union Seventh Framework Program.
Frequency and Predictors of Headache in the First 12 Months After Traumatic Brain Injury: Results from CENTER-TBI
(BMC, 2024-03-25) Howe, Emilie Isager; Andelic, Nada; Brunborg, Cathrine; Zeldovich, Marina; Helseth, Eirik; Skandsen, Toril; Olsen, Alexander; Fure, Silje CR; Theadom, Alice; Rauen, Katrin; Madsen, Benedikte Å; Jacobs, Bram; van der Naalt, Joukje; Tartaglia, Maria Carmela; Einarsen, Cathrine Elisabeth; Storvig, Gøril; Tronvik, Erling; Tverdal, Cathrine; von Steinbüchel, Nicole; Røe, Cecilie; Hellstrøm, Torgeir; CENTER-TBI Participants and Investigators
BACKGROUND: Headache is a prevalent and debilitating symptom following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Large-scale, prospective cohort studies are needed to establish long-term headache prevalence and associated factors after TBI. This study aimed to assess the frequency and severity of headache after TBI and determine whether sociodemographic factors, injury severity characteristics, and pre- and post-injury comorbidities predicted changes in headache frequency and severity during the first 12 months after injury. METHODS: A large patient sample from the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) prospective observational cohort study was used. Patients were stratified based on their clinical care pathway: admitted to an emergency room (ER), a ward (ADM) or an intensive care unit (ICU) in the acute phase. Headache was assessed using a single item from the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire measured at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months after injury. Mixed-effect logistic regression analyses were applied to investigate changes in headache frequency and associated predictors. RESULTS: A total of 2,291 patients responded to the headache item at baseline. At study enrolment, 59.3% of patients reported acute headache, with similar frequencies across all strata. Female patients and those aged up to 40 years reported a higher frequency of headache at baseline compared to males and older adults. The frequency of severe headache was highest in patients admitted to the ICU. The frequency of headache in the ER stratum decreased substantially from baseline to 3 months and remained from 3 to 6 months. Similar trajectory trends were observed in the ICU and ADM strata across 12 months. Younger age, more severe TBI, fatigue, neck pain and vision problems were among the predictors of more severe headache over time. More than 25% of patients experienced headache at 12 months after injury. CONCLUSIONS: Headache is a common symptom after TBI, especially in female and younger patients. It typically decreases in the first 3 months before stabilising. However, more than a quarter of patients still experienced headache at 12 months after injury. Translational research is needed to advance the clinical decision-making process and improve targeted medical treatment for headache. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02210221.
Global Fertility in 204 Countries and Territories, 1950–2021, With Forecasts to 2100: A Comprehensive Demographic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
(Elsevier BV, 2024) Bhattacharjee, NV; Schumacher, AE; Aali, A; Abate, YH; Abbasgholizadeh, R; Abbasian, M; Abbasi-Kangevari, M; Abbastabar, H; Abd ElHafeez, S; Abd-Elsalam, S; Abdollahi, M; Abdollahifar, MA; Abdoun, M; Abdullahi, A; Abebe, M; Abebe, SS; Abiodun, O; Abolhassani, H; Abolmaali, M; Abouzid, M; Aboye, GB; Abreu, LG; Abrha, WA; Abrigo, MRM; Abtahi, D; Abualruz, H; Abubakar, B; Abu-Gharbieh, E; Abu-Rmeileh, NM; Adal, TGG; Adane, MM; Adeagbo, OAA; Adedoyin, RA; Adekanmbi, V; Aden, B; Adepoju, AV; Adetokunboh, OO; Adetunji, JB; Adeyinka, DA; Adeyomoye, OI; Adnani, QES; Adra, S; Afolabi, RF; Afyouni, S; Afzal, MS; Afzal, S; Aghamiri, S; Agodi, A; Agyemang-Duah, W; Ahinkorah, BO; Ahlstrom, AJ; Ahmad, A; Ahmad, D; Ahmad, F; Ahmad, MM; Ahmad, S; Ahmad, T; Ahmed, A; Ahmed, A; Ahmed, H; Ahmed, LA; Ahmed, MS; Ahmed, SA; Ajami, M; Aji, B; Akalu, GT; Akbarialiabad, H; Akinyemi, RO; Akkaif, MA; Akkala, S; Al Hamad, H; Al Hasan, SM; Al Qadire, M; AL-Ahdal, TMA; Alalalmeh, SO; Alalwan, TA; Al-Aly, Z; Alam, K; Al-amer, RM; Alanezi, FM; Alanzi, TM; Albakri, A; Albashtawy, M; AlBataineh, MT; Alemi, H; Alemi, S; Alemu, YM; Al-Eyadhy, A; Al-Gheethi, AAS; Alhabib, KF; Alhajri, N; Alhalaiqa, FAN; Alhassan, RK; Ali, A; Ali, BA; Ali, L; Ali, MU; Ali, R; Ali, SSS; Alif, SM
Background: Accurate assessments of current and future fertility—including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions—are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to inform policies involving resource and health-care needs, labour supply, education, gender equality, and family planning and support. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 produced up-to-date and comprehensive demographic assessments of key fertility indicators at global, regional, and national levels from 1950 to 2021 and forecast fertility metrics to 2100 based on a reference scenario and key policy-dependent alternative scenarios. Methods: To estimate fertility indicators from 1950 to 2021, mixed-effects regression models and spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression were used to synthesise data from 8709 country-years of vital and sample registrations, 1455 surveys and censuses, and 150 other sources, and to generate age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) for 5-year age groups from age 10 years to 54 years. ASFRs were summed across age groups to produce estimates of total fertility rate (TFR). Livebirths were calculated by multiplying ASFR and age-specific female population, then summing across ages 10–54 years. To forecast future fertility up to 2100, our Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) forecasting model was based on projections of completed cohort fertility at age 50 years (CCF50; the average number of children born over time to females from a specified birth cohort), which yields more stable and accurate measures of fertility than directly modelling TFR. CCF50 was modelled using an ensemble approach in which three sub-models (with two, three, and four covariates variously consisting of female educational attainment, contraceptive met need, population density in habitable areas, and under-5 mortality) were given equal weights, and analyses were conducted utilising the MR-BRT (meta-regression—Bayesian, regularised, trimmed) tool. To capture time-series trends in CCF50 not explained by these covariates, we used a first-order autoregressive model on the residual term. CCF50 as a proportion of each 5-year ASFR was predicted using a linear mixed-effects model with fixed-effects covariates (female educational attainment and contraceptive met need) and random intercepts for geographical regions. Projected TFRs were then computed for each calendar year as the sum of single-year ASFRs across age groups. The reference forecast is our estimate of the most likely fertility future given the model, past fertility, forecasts of covariates, and historical relationships between covariates and fertility. We additionally produced forecasts for multiple alternative scenarios in each location: the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for education is achieved by 2030; the contraceptive met need SDG is achieved by 2030; pro-natal policies are enacted to create supportive environments for those who give birth; and the previous three scenarios combined. Uncertainty from past data inputs and model estimation was propagated throughout analyses by taking 1000 draws for past and present fertility estimates and 500 draws for future forecasts from the estimated distribution for each metric, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) given as the 2·5 and 97·5 percentiles of the draws. To evaluate the forecasting performance of our model and others, we computed skill values—a metric assessing gain in forecasting accuracy—by comparing predicted versus observed ASFRs from the past 15 years (2007–21). A positive skill metric indicates that the model being evaluated performs better than the baseline model (here, a simplified model holding 2007 values constant in the future), and a negative metric indicates that the evaluated model performs worse than baseline. Findings: During the period from 1950 to 2021, global TFR more than halved, from 4·84 (95% UI 4·63–5·06) to 2·23 (2·09–2·38). Global annual livebirths peaked in 2016 at 142 million (95% UI 137–147), declining to 129 million (121–138) in 2021. Fertility rates declined in all countries and territories since 1950, with TFR remaining above 2·1—canonically considered replacement-level fertility—in 94 (46·1%) countries and territories in 2021. This included 44 of 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which was the super-region with the largest share of livebirths in 2021 (29·2% [28·7–29·6]). 47 countries and territories in which lowest estimated fertility between 1950 and 2021 was below replacement experienced one or more subsequent years with higher fertility; only three of these locations rebounded above replacement levels. Future fertility rates were projected to continue to decline worldwide, reaching a global TFR of 1·83 (1·59–2·08) in 2050 and 1·59 (1·25–1·96) in 2100 under the reference scenario. The number of countries and territories with fertility rates remaining above replacement was forecast to be 49 (24·0%) in 2050 and only six (2·9%) in 2100, with three of these six countries included in the 2021 World Bank-defined low-income group, all located in the GBD super-region of sub-Saharan Africa. The proportion of livebirths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa was forecast to increase to more than half of the world's livebirths in 2100, to 41·3% (39·6–43·1) in 2050 and 54·3% (47·1–59·5) in 2100. The share of livebirths was projected to decline between 2021 and 2100 in most of the six other super-regions—decreasing, for example, in south Asia from 24·8% (23·7–25·8) in 2021 to 16·7% (14·3–19·1) in 2050 and 7·1% (4·4–10·1) in 2100—but was forecast to increase modestly in the north Africa and Middle East and high-income super-regions. Forecast estimates for the alternative combined scenario suggest that meeting SDG targets for education and contraceptive met need, as well as implementing pro-natal policies, would result in global TFRs of 1·65 (1·40–1·92) in 2050 and 1·62 (1·35–1·95) in 2100. The forecasting skill metric values for the IHME model were positive across all age groups, indicating that the model is better than the constant prediction. Interpretation: Fertility is declining globally, with rates in more than half of all countries and territories in 2021 below replacement level. Trends since 2000 show considerable heterogeneity in the steepness of declines, and only a small number of countries experienced even a slight fertility rebound after their lowest observed rate, with none reaching replacement level. Additionally, the distribution of livebirths across the globe is shifting, with a greater proportion occurring in the lowest-income countries. Future fertility rates will continue to decline worldwide and will remain low even under successful implementation of pro-natal policies. These changes will have far-reaching economic and societal consequences due to ageing populations and declining workforces in higher-income countries, combined with an increasing share of livebirths among the already poorest regions of the world. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Health and Wellness Coaching for 5-Year Projected Cardiovascular Health
(Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2024) Krishnamurthi, Rita V; Vandal, Alain C; Barker-Collo, Suzanne; Mahon, Susan; Barber, P Alan; Arroll, Bruce; Rush, Elaine; Elder, Hinemoa; Feigin, Valery L
Background and Objectives Evidence of effective multifactorial lifestyle interventions for primary stroke prevention is lacking, despite the significant contribution of lifestyle to stroke burden. We aimed to determine the efficacy of health and wellness coaching (HWC) for primary stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in adults at a moderate-to-high CVD risk. Methods This was a parallel, 2-arm, open-label, single-blinded, phase III randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of HWC for primary stroke prevention in individuals 30 years and older with a 5-year CVD risk ≥10% as measured by 5-year absolute CVD risk (as measured by the PREDICT tool) at 9 months post-randomization. Eligible participants were those with a 5-year CVD risk ≥10%, with no history of stroke, transient ischemic attack, or myocardial infarction. The relative risk reduction (RRR) and odds ratios (OR) were evaluated separately in those at moderate (10%–14%) 5-year CVD risk and those at high risk (≥15%) at baseline. The Life's Simple 7 (LS7) score for lifestyle-related CVD risk, as the indicator of cardiovascular health, was a key secondary outcome. Results Of a total of 320 participants, 161 were randomized to the HWC group and 159 to the usual care (UC) group. HWC resulted in a statistically significant RRR of -10.9 (95% CI −21.0 to −0.9) in 5-year CVD risk in the higher CVD risk group but no change in the moderate risk group. An improvement in the total LS7 score was seen in the HWC group compared with the UC group (absolute difference = 0.485, 95% CI [0.073 to 0.897], p = 0.02). Improvement in blood pressure scores was statistically significantly greater in the HWC group than in the UC group for those at high risk of CVD (OR 2.28 [95% CI 1.12 to 4.63] and 1.55 [0.80 to 3.01], respectively). No statistically significant differences in mood scores, medication adherence, quality of life, and satisfaction with life scores over time or between groups were seen. Discussion Health and wellness coaching resulted in a significant RRR in the 5-year CVD risk compared with UC at 9 months post-randomization in patients with a high baseline CVD risk. There was no improvement in CVD risk in the moderate risk group; hence, this study did not meet the primary hypothesis. However, this treatment effect is clinically significant (number needed to treat was 43). The findings suggest that HWC has potential if further refined to improve lifestyle risk factors of stroke.
Health Quality of Retired Royal New Zealand Navy Personnel: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
(Peertechz Publications Private Limited, 2021) King, Doug; Hume, Patria; Clark, Trevor; Gissane, Conor
Purpose: To characterise the current health quality of retired Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) personnel. Methods: A Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported survey data was conducted. A total of 300 retired RNZN personnel completed a Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) survey on-line using the SF-36v2 to assess physical and mental health domains. The Physical Component Summary [PCS] combined Physical Function (PF), Role Physical (RP), Bodily Pain (BP) and General Health (GH) subscales. The Mental Component Summary [MCS] combined Vitality (VT), Social Functioning (SF), Role Emotional (RE) and Mental Health (MH) subscales. Analysis by age, gender, ethnicity, and rank were conducted for the subscale results. Comparisons of the RNZN cohort with the 1998 US National and New Zealand 2006-2007 health surveys were made. Results: New Zealand Europeans (NZE) recorded a higher mean RP and PCS than New Zealand Māori (NZM) (RP: 66.9 vs. 54.9; t(46)=-2.2; p=0.0294; d=0.50; PCS: 68.9 vs. 65.7; t(46)=-2.3; p=0.0267; d=0.47). Senior Rates recorded a higher MH (69.5 vs. 66.2; t(19)=-1.1; p=0.0568; d=0.35) but a lower PCS (65.0 vs. 65.6; t(19)=0.6;p=0.0681 d=0.07) and MCS (59.2 vs. 59.4; t(19)=-1.4; p=0.0865; d=0.46) than Officers. Compared with the New Zealand 2006-2007 health survey, the retired RNZN cohort had a lower RP (58.0 vs. 85.7; d=1.14), BP (42.6 vs. 75.3; d=1.51), SF (59.8 vs. 88.4; d=1.85) and MH (68.5 vs. 82.3; d=1.28). Conclusion: The lower HRQOL subscales results (especially BP) for retired RNZN personnel compared to the general population and other service personnel indicates a need for more research to understand the potential reasons for these findings. The effects of the lifestyle and training requirements combined with the entry selection of healthy people into the navy may have impacted on the results reported in this survey.
Pragmatic Solutions to Reduce Global Stroke Burden: World Stroke Organization – Lancet Neurology Commission Report
(S. Karger AG, 2023-11-23) Krishnamurthi, Rita V; Gall, Seana; Martins, Sheila O; Norrving, Bo; Pandian, Jeyaraj D; Feigin, Valery L; Owolabi, Mayowa O
Pragmatic Solutions to Reduce the Global Burden of Stroke: A World Stroke Organization-Lancet Neurology Commission
(Elsevier, 2023-10-09) Feigin, Valery L; Owolabi, Mayowa O; World Stroke Organization–Lancet Neurology Commission Stroke Collaboration Group
PreventS-MD®: A New Digital Technology to Maintain Cardiovascular Prevention in Routine Clinical Practice
(ECO-Vector LLC, 2024) Kravchenko, Mikhail A; Gnedovskaya, Elena V; Feigin, Valery L; Piradov, Mikhail A
Stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and other main non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain major causes of mortality and disability globally. Up to 80% of cardiovascular events and up to 60% of NCDs are associated with potentially controlled risk factors (RFs). State-of-the-art digital technologies can help bridge the gap between evidence-based prevention methods and their critically low availability in routine clinical practice. An innovative digital platform named PreventS-MD® is a specially developed tool for healthcare professionals to be used under time constraints. With PreventS-MD®, clinicians can estimate patient's 10-year cardiovascular risk within several minutes. Then, they automatically get adapted results and recommendations to address identified RFs as well as graphical representation of specific RF contribution to overall stroke and MI risks. If some additional time is available, the clinician and the patient can collaboratively set customized achievable goals to correct modifiable RFs. An integrated analytical module provides healthcare managers with current digital risk profiles of the relevant population to evaluate prevention effectiveness and to forecast the load throughout the healthcare levels. PreventS-MD® has several unique advantages, including time-saving design, the function to activate motivated RF correction, individually tailored recommendations, and information on personally changed digital profiles of vascular risks. As cardiovascular diseases and main NCDs have a lot of common RFs, PreventS-MD® implemented into routine clinical practice will utilize a complex approach to the prevention of main NCDs, decreasing both stroke and MI burden and addressing complications of chronic pulmonary and kidney disease, tumors of any type, dementia, etc.
Stroke Is Not an Accident: An Integrative Review on the Use of the Term ‘Cerebrovascular Accident’
(S. Karger AG, 2024) Burns, Catherine; Sanders, Ailie; Sanders, Lauren M; Dalli, Lachlan L; Feigin, Valery; Cadilhac, Dominique A; Donnan, Geoffrey; Norrving, Bo; Olaiya, Muideen T; Nair, Balakrishnan; Henry, Nathan; Kilkenny, Monique F
BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is an outdated term for describing stroke as it implies stroke is an accident. We conducted an integrative review to determine use of CVA in terms of 1) frequency in major medical journals over time; 2) associated publication characteristics (e.g., number of authors, senior author country, topic); and 3) frequency in medical records. METHODS: We searched Google Scholar for publications in leading neurology and vascular journals (Quartile 1) across two 5-year periods (1998-2002 and 2018-2022) using the terms "cerebrovascular accident" or "CVA." Two reviewers independently reviewed full-text publications and recorded the frequency of CVA use. Rates of use (per 1,000 articles/year) were calculated for each journal and time period. Associations of publication characteristics with CVA use were determined using multivariable logistic regression models. In addition, admission and discharge forms in the Auckland Regional Community Stroke Study (ARCOS V) were audited for frequency of use of the term CVA. RESULTS: Of the 1,643 publications retrieved, 1,539 were reviewed in full. Of these, CVA was used ≥1 time in 676 publications, and ≥2 times in 276 publications (129 in 1998-2002; 147 in 2018-2022). The terms CVA and stroke both appeared in 57% of publications where CVA was used ≥2 times in 1998-2002, compared to 65% in 2018-2022. Majority of publications were on the topic of stroke (22% in 1998-2002; 20% in 2018-2022). There were no associations between publication characteristics and the use of CVA. The highest rate of CVA use in 2018-2022 was in Circulation, and increased over time from 1.3 uses per 1,000 publications in 1998-2002 to 1.8 uses per 1,000 publications in 2018-2022. The largest reduction the use of CVA was in Neuroepidemiology (2.0 uses per 1,000 publications in 1998-2002 to 0 uses in 2018-2022). The term CVA was identified in 0.2% of stroke admission and discharge forms audited (17/7808). CONCLUSION: We found evidence of changes in the use of CVA in the scientific literature over the past two decades. Editors, authors and clinicians should avoid the use of the term CVA as it perpetuates the use of a non-specific, non-diagnostic, and non-scientific term.

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