Long-term perceived disabilities up to 10 years after transient ischaemic attack.
Jenni Andersson, Britt-Marie Stålnacke, Ann Sörlin and 2 others
PMID 33656562WHAT IT FOUND
Many TIA survivors reported ongoing difficulties up to 10 years later, especially emotions, strength and participation.
Most lived independently, but women and older people reported more problems.
Key findings
01Among 299 participants, about 91% were independent on the Modified Rankin Scale, while more than one-third reported participation restrictions.
02Emotional problems were reported by more than four-fifths and reduced strength by almost half, and scores did not differ significantly across time groups.
03Older participants reported more disabilities for strength, mobility, hand function, daily activities and participation than younger participants, and women reported more emotional difficulties than men.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study had no control group and did not compare TIA survivors with people without TIA, so it cannot show that TIA caused the reported problems. Only 26% of eligible individuals responded, and people who could not consent or answer questionnaires were excluded, so results may not represent all TIA survivors. Participants were asked once at different times after TIA, from 6 months to 10 years, so the study could not track changes within the same person over time. Disability was based on self-reported questionnaires, not objective motor or cognitive assessments, and other health conditions may have influenced scores. Only community-dwelling survivors were included, and people who died, had recurrent stroke or TIA, or could not consent or answer questionnaires were excluded.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these patient-reported disabilities as proof that rehabilitation after TIA works. The study had no control group, no objective motor or cognitive assessments, and only asked survivors how they felt from 6 months to 10 years after TIA.