ExStroke Pilot Trial of the effect of repeated instructions to improve physical activity after ischaemic stroke: a multinational randomised controlled clinical trial

TY - JOUR

T1 - ExStroke Pilot Trial of the effect of repeated instructions to improve physical activity after ischaemic stroke: a multinational randomised controlled clinical trial

AU - Boysen, Gudrun

AU - Krarup, Lars-Henrik

AU - Zeng, Xianrong

AU - Oskedra, Adam

AU - Kõrv, Janika

AU - Andersen, Grethe

AU - Gluud, Christian

AU - Pedersen, Anders

AU - Lindahl, Marianne

AU - Hansen, Lotte

AU - Winkel, Per

AU - Truelsen, Thomas

N1 - Keywords: Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Counseling; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Education as Topic; Pilot Projects; Recurrence; Stroke; Treatment Outcome

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To investigate if repeated verbal instructions about physical activity to patients with ischaemic stroke could increase long term physical activity. DESIGN: Multicentre, multinational, randomised clinical trial with masked outcome assessment. SETTING: Stroke units in Denmark, China, Poland, and Estonia. PARTICIPANTS: 314 patients with ischaemic stroke aged >or=40 years who were able to walk-157 (mean age 69.7 years) randomised to the intervention, 157 (mean age 69.4 years) in the control group. INTERVENTIONS: Patients randomised to the intervention were instructed in a detailed training programme before discharge and at five follow-up visits during 24 months. Control patients had follow-up visits with the same frequency but without instructions in physical activity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physical activity assessed with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) at each visit. Secondary outcomes were clinical events. RESULTS: The estimated mean PASE scores were 69.1 in the intervention group and 64.0 in the control group (difference 5.0 (95% confidence interval -5.8 to 15.9), P=0.36. The intervention had no significant effect on mortality, recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, or falls and fractures. CONCLUSION: Repeated encouragement and verbal instruction in being physically active did not lead to a significant increase in physical activity measured by the PASE score. More intensive strategies seem to be needed to promote physical activity after ischaemic stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials NCT00132483.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To investigate if repeated verbal instructions about physical activity to patients with ischaemic stroke could increase long term physical activity. DESIGN: Multicentre, multinational, randomised clinical trial with masked outcome assessment. SETTING: Stroke units in Denmark, China, Poland, and Estonia. PARTICIPANTS: 314 patients with ischaemic stroke aged >or=40 years who were able to walk-157 (mean age 69.7 years) randomised to the intervention, 157 (mean age 69.4 years) in the control group. INTERVENTIONS: Patients randomised to the intervention were instructed in a detailed training programme before discharge and at five follow-up visits during 24 months. Control patients had follow-up visits with the same frequency but without instructions in physical activity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physical activity assessed with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) at each visit. Secondary outcomes were clinical events. RESULTS: The estimated mean PASE scores were 69.1 in the intervention group and 64.0 in the control group (difference 5.0 (95% confidence interval -5.8 to 15.9), P=0.36. The intervention had no significant effect on mortality, recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, or falls and fractures. CONCLUSION: Repeated encouragement and verbal instruction in being physically active did not lead to a significant increase in physical activity measured by the PASE score. More intensive strategies seem to be needed to promote physical activity after ischaemic stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials NCT00132483.

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19900934

SN - 0959-8146

VL - 339

SP - b2810

JO - The BMJ

JF - The BMJ

ER -