The Effect of Solifenacin on Cognitive Function Following Stroke.

The Effect of Solifenacin on Cognitive Function following Stroke.

Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2013 1; 3(1): 143-147
Park JW

Our aim was to investigate the effect of solifenacin (an anticholinergic) on cognitive function after stroke.We retrospectively reviewed 66 stroke cases who were prescribed solifenacin for more than 2 months. A control group was generated matching the patients both for sex and age. The interval changes in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score after solifenacin administration were compared to those of the control group.The baseline MMSE score of the control group was 15.9 ± 9.2 and that of the solifenacin group was 14.3 ± 7.8. After using solifenacin for an average of 76.9 days, there was a change in the MMSE score of 1.9 ± 5.2. During similar periods, there was a change in the MMSE score of 2.9 ± 3.7 in the control group (not using solifenacin). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the CDR-SB score between the two groups.Solifenacin treatment did not affect the short-term cognitive performance in stroke patients. This information might be useful when prescribing anticholinergics to stroke patients. HubMed – rehab

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Elderly Inpatients: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.

Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2013 1; 3(1): 123-130
Mézière A, Blachier M, Thomas S, Verny M, Herbaud S, Bouillanne O, Henry O, David JP, Le Thuaut A, Canouï-Poitrine F, Paillaud E

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We determined the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in geriatric rehabilitation patients to compare neuropsychiatric symptoms between patients with and without dementia, and to evaluate associations linking severity of cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric symptoms. METHODS: In February 2009, we studied patients aged 75 years or older who had been admitted to four geriatric rehabilitation units in the Paris area. The twelve Neuropsychiatric Inventory items and four neuropsychiatric subsyndromes defined by the European Alzheimer’s Disease Consortium were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 194 patients, 149 (76.8%) had dementia, and 154 (79.4%) had exhibited at least one neuropsychiatric symptom during the past week. Agitation was the most common neuropsychiatric symptom in the group with dementia (36.9%) and depression in the group without dementia (35.6%). The dementia group had significantly higher prevalences of hyperactivity (p < 0.001) and delusions (p = 0.01) than the non-dementia group. In the dementia group, severity of cognitive impairment was associated with hyperactivity (p = 0.01) and psychosis (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms among geriatric rehabilitation patients was high but not higher than in elderly outpatients. HubMed – rehab

Talking about the institutional complexity of the integrated rehabilitation system-the importance of coordination.

Int J Integr Care. 2013 1; 13: e007
Miettinen S, Ashorn U, Lehto J

Rehabilitation in Finland is a good example of functions divided among several welfare sectors, such as health services and social services. The rehabilitation system in Finland is a complex one and there have been many efforts to create a coordinated entity. The purpose of this study is to open up a complex welfare system at the upper policy level and to understand the meaning of coordination at the level of service delivery. We shed light in particular on the national rehabilitation policy in Finland and how the policy has tried to overcome the negative effects of institutional complexity. In this study we used qualitative content analysis and frame analysis. As a result we identified four different welfare state frames with distinct features of policy problems, policy alternatives and institutional failure. The rehabilitation policy in Finland seems to be divided into different components which may cause problems at the level of service delivery and thus in the integration of services. Bringing these components together could at policy level enable a shared view of the rights of different population groups, effective management of integration at the level of service delivery and also an opportunity for change throughout the rehabilitation system. HubMed – rehab