The impact of respiratory function on outcome after stroke - Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The impact of respiratory function on outcome after stroke.
IRAS ID
166073
Contact name
Afroditi / A Kouzouna
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Keele University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The impact of respiratory function on outcome after stroke
Recovery after stroke is affected by pre-stroke physical fitness and morbidity, the severity of neurological injury, and post stroke complications. The most common of these complications is pneumonia. Post-stroke pneumonia is usually caused by difficulty swallowing and aspiration however pre-existing respiratory morbidity is likely to increase the risk of developing pneumonia after the stroke and may affect response to treatment. The assessment of respiratory function and pneumonia in stroke patients is very challenging because of impaired levels of consciousness or cognition affecting the ability to cooperate with the exam. In addition reduced chest and diaphragm movement on the affected side makes auscultation of the chest and chest x-ray findings unreliable, as these rely on the patient being able to take a deep voluntary breath. The relationship between pre-stroke respiratory morbidity, the development and persistence of post-stroke pneumonia, and the relationship to recovery of function after stroke has not been investigated formally.
The proposed research study is a longitudinal observational study aiming at investigating how morbidity prior to a stroke and respiratory function after a stroke affect neurological recovery in an acute stroke population. Mainly, two non-invasive methods of measuring chest and abdominal movement (Structured Light Plethysmography) and assessing presence of air or consolidation in the lungs, and thickness and movement of the diaphragm (Ultrasonography) will be used in order to assess patients from admission to the acute stroke unit of University Hospitals North Midlands NHS Trust to 90 days post-stroke. Neurological outcomes and nutritional status will also be recorded. All first-ever stroke patients will be eligible to participate. In addition, reliability of respiratory function measurements and data from individuals without a stroke will be collected from an age and gender-matched control group. This is a PhD study sponsored by Keele University.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0062
Date of REC Opinion
16 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion