The feasibility of an RCT for stroke mimics in a stroke setting

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Assessing the feasibility of a physiotherapy intervention for functional stroke patients at a Hyperacute Stroke Unit.

• IRAS ID

  186826

• Contact name

  Nicola O'Connell

• Contact email

  nicola.o'connell@kcl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  King's College London

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  N/A, N/A

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 7 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Many medical conditions can ‘mimic’ stroke. Conditions such as Bell’s Palsy, brain tumours may result in patients displaying symptoms that appear like stroke when in fact there is no underlying stroke pathology. Of stroke mimics a proportion will have symptoms that are medically unexplained and in whom a psychiatric cause is suspected. The management of these patients is problematic as they often fall between medical and psychiatric teams. Many are subject to needless and expensive medical investigations and can remain significantly disabled for many years.

  The aim of this study is to assess whether a pilot randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a physiotherapy intervention for functional stroke mimic patients, is possible and feasible at a hyperacute stroke unit (HASU) in a London hospital. This research will assess whether staff and patients would be willing to take part in such a trial, whether patients would consent to being randomised and will assess how HASU staff view functional stroke patients.

  This study proposes to use a semi-structured interview method to assess both functional stroke patients’ and NHS staff’s attitudes and views on a possible physiotherapy trial. Over a three-month period, all functional stroke patients admitted to one London HASU will be approached and asked to consent to take part in the study. Semi-structured interviews will be completed with both patients and a sample of HASU staff. All patients who consent to be followed up will be interviewed again, two months after their first interview.

  All semi-structured interviews will be analysed using content and thematic analysis. The study report will be complete two months after the final patient interview.

• REC name

  London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/LO/1914

• Date of REC Opinion

  6 Jan 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion