Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, prompting significant interest in rehabilitation. Despite existing recommendations and clinical guidelines, the current state of stroke rehabilitation practices in Catalonia remains unclear. This study aims to identify physiotherapists' main approaches for stroke survivors in Catalonia across recovery stages.
An observational study was conducted via an anonymous survey distributed among all the registered members of the College of Physiotherapists of Catalonia (CPC). A total of 118 physiotherapists from both the public and private sector participated. The study collected data on therapists' experience, preferred therapeutic modalities, user demographics, and work settings. The data was collected from January to March, 2023.
The survey on stroke rehabilitation approaches showed that 57.60% of participants use a mix of methods (Basal Stimulation, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), neurodevelopmental or neurocognitive therapy) tailored to individuals or stroke stages, regardless of the work setting. Regarding the techniques, the most used were passive mobilization, stretching, task-oriented approaches, motor imagery, intensive therapy, mirror therapy, and balance training. In contrast, electrotherapy, music therapy, mindfulness, and advanced technologies were the least used.
Physiotherapists did not rely on a single technique or approach; instead, they combined various methods. Therefore, we are unable to definitively determine what constitutes conventional physiotherapy. Considering this ambiguity, it is recommended to explicitly identify the techniques and methods used during conventional physical therapy in all scientific studies.
No: NCT05546840. 15 September 2022, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05546840?cond=NCT05546840&rank.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects attentional and executive functions, which may interfere with facial emotion recognition. This study explored the recognition of basic and complex emotions in pediatric subjects with ADHD.
This was a prospective, cross-sectional, controlled study. A total of 60 participants were included, divided into two groups: the ADHD Group (n = 30) and the Control Group (n = 30) with neurotypical development. Each participant was presented with a series of photographs and video clips of children and adults and was asked to identify the emotion expressed on the face.
No significant differences were found in the recognition of basic emotions between the Control Group (M = 44.43; SD = 2.01) and the ADHD Group (M = 43.90; SD = 2.14; t(58) = –0.995; p = 0.324), nor in the recognition of complex emotions [t(58) = 0.514; p = 0.609]. No differences were found by age [Z = 463; p = 0.843] or by sex (p = 0.92). We observed significantly better performance with a large effect size when recognizing child faces (M = 29.56; 95% CI 28.98–30.14) compared with adult faces (M = 14.86; 95% CI 14.46–15.26; p < 0.001; d = 11.03), with performance on adult faces improving with age (rho = 0.39; p = 0.03).
The ADHD Group did not show differential performance compared with the neurotypical group in emotion recognition. Performance significantly improved for child faces, suggesting that adult faces should be avoided when assessing this population. Recognition of adult faces improved with age.
Migraine is a complex condition when considered from the perspective of its pathophysiology. Moreover, it is highly prevalent and of priority interest in public health. Gepants are a highly-effective and specific therapeutic option, although their recent arrival in Latin America raises particular questions and expectations. A narrative review of the four medications available outside Latin America at this time is provided and the main considerations that should be borne in mind before and during their adoption are presented. Appropriate patient selection and marketing cost will be key determinants for their consolidation as an alternative to traditional medications used in migraine.
Stroke is highly prevalent worldwide; however, associated symptoms and risk factors are unknown in the general population. Our aim was to describe the knowledge of early signs of stroke and its association with the risk of stroke at 5 and 10 years according to the “Stroke Riskometer™”
This was an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study, including adults in the Neurology outpatient clinic of the University Hospital “Dr. José Eleuterio González”. Vital signs were recorded, anthropometric and the “Stroke Riskometer™” measurements were collected, and the risks at 5 and 10 yearswere calculated. Patients were questioned about the early signs of stroke (with emphasis on the acronym FAST: F = Face uneven, A = Arm hanging down, S = Speech slurred, T = Time is vital [CAMALEÓN in Spanish]). Spearman’s evaluation was used to measure the association between risk and knowledge of signs.
A total of 300 participants were included; 208 (69.3%) were women and the mean age was 54.5 (±14.0) years. The most prevalent risk factors for stroke were sedentary lifestyle (46.3%), high blood pressure (40.0%), and diabetes (31.0%). The population median risk at 5 years was 3.6% (interquartile range (IQR) 1.9–7.0) and at 10 years 6.3% (IQR 3.1–14.0). Of all participants, 31.2% were aware of at least one early sign of stroke. No significant correlation was found between awareness of early signs and risk at 5 or 10 years (r = 0.039, p = 0.5; r = –0.05, p = 0.380, respectively).
Knowledge of the signs of stroke is low but remains an ongoing goal for educational campaigns in Mexico. A large-scale national and long-lasting campaign is necessary, given the high risk of stroke in the population.