'Functional Stroke Mimics': survey and intervention developed
Research type
Research Study
Full title
'Functional Stroke Mimics': A consecutive survey and intervention development
IRAS ID
245303
Contact name
Anthony David
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
KCL
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 0 days
Research summary
Different medical conditions can mimic stroke such as Bell's Palsy, headache and brain tumours. These conditions may result in patients displaying symptoms that mimic stroke when there is no stroke pathology. Of patients whose symptoms mimic stroke, a proportion are medically unexplained or may have a potential psychological explanation. These patients have more recently been referred to as 'functional stroke mimic' patients (FSMs). Functional stroke mimic patients are those presenting to stroke settings with suspected stroke who, on further investigation, are found not to have an organic brain lesion.
In acute stroke care, patients with functional or unexplained symptoms make up 13.8% of all patients whose symptoms mimic stroke and in general stroke units, this is as high as 25.3% (Gibson and Whiteley, 2013). There is currently no known treatment for FSMs and no guidelines exist for stroke staff in treating these patients.
The primary aim of this study is to gather quantitative and qualitative information to develop a manualised cognitive-behavioural intervention for FSMs. Quantitative information will be gathered from participants when they have been admitted to the stroke unit and then two months after they have been discharged. We will also conducted a nested qualitative study that will gather information on the views and needs of FSM patients themselves, their caregivers and health professionals. We aim to use the quantitative information to select the best outcome measures which could later be used in a larger randomised controlled trial. Based on the information we collect we aim to draft a manual for a psychologically-informed rehabilitation intervention for FSM patients.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1878
Date of REC Opinion
27 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion