Outpatient rehabilitation of patients with chronic cognitive impairments after ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysms reduces the burden of care: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the functional outcome of 19 patients with anterior communicating artery aneurysm following the completion of an inter-disciplinary out-patient rehabilitation programme.


METHODS
Retrospective descriptive study.


METHODS
Community-based inter-disciplinary outpatient programme.


METHODS
n = 19; consecutive referred sample, mean 182 days post-onset; in-patient rehabilitation completed.


METHODS
Inter-disciplinary treatment of functional activities; 2-5 hours/day, 3-5 days/week; mean duration: 55-57 days.


METHODS
Supervision rating scale (SRS) and change in prevalence at admission and discharge of executive impairments, memory, confabulation, apathy, initiation, social inappropriateness and incontinence.


RESULTS
Sixty per cent of the patients showed a clinically significant improvement in their SRS from requiring full-time supervision to part-time supervision. Change in SRS was correlated with change in the impairments of executive function, memory and confabulation.


CONCLUSIONS
Although pervasive impairments associated with this disorder may limit capacity for even moderate independence, substantial reduction in direct supervision by family members may be achieved.
Mills
Virginia M
VM
Community Rehab Care, Inc., Newton, MA 02458, USA. vmills1388@aol.com
Karas
Amy
A
Alexander
Michael P
MP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome