Apathy and Quality of Life
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Apathy and Quality of Life Study
IRAS ID
306418
Contact name
Hugh Markus
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
We are carrying out this study to investigate the relationship between post-stroke apathy and caregiver's quality of life and care burden. We plan to recruit 60 participants and their carers.
Ischemic stroke patients and their carers will be identified from a stroke clinic at Addenbrookes' Hospital. Participants will undergo a one-off assessment and will complete questionnaires relating to mood, apathy, level of disability, quality of life, wellbeing and care burden. Moreover, patients will undergo cognitive testing.Summary of Results
We recruited 40 patient-carer pairs with symptomatic small vessel disease (SVD) (20 with apathy and 20 without) and assessed apathy using the Apathy Evaluation Scale – Clinician report (AES-C). When controlling for sex, age, BMET score and mRS, AES-C was a significant predictor of carer distress, burden and depression. In contrast mRS was not an independent predictor of carer burden. On linear regression model with backward stepwise elimination, the only variable that remained a significant predictor of carer burden was AES-C score. When controlling for sex, age, BMET score and mRS, AES-C was a significant predictor of patient QoL and depression. No significant relationship was observed between AES-C and carer SF-36 scores. In conclusion, apathy is a major independent predictor of caregiver burden and caregivers of apathic patients suffer increased distress, burden and lower mood. Patients with apathy also suffer lower mood and worse QoL The major impact of apathy on carers suggests targeting them should be an important component of the treatment of apathy in patient with stroke.REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
22/WS/0010
Date of REC Opinion
24 Feb 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion