title: Effect of shunt operation on idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus patients in reducing caregiver burden: evidence from SINPHONI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) are often given shunt operations to reduce the triad symptoms (cognitive impairment, gait disturbance and urinary disturbance). We examined whether they also reduce caregiver burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  The personal strain (PS) and role strain (RS) factors, which are related to the stress and constraints, respectively, on the caregivers of 81 iNPH patients were evaluated with the Zarit burden interview (ZBI) and each of the triad symptoms was evaluated with the iNPH grading scale (iNPHGS) before and 1 year after the shunt operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each of the iNPHGS scores, the total ZBI score and PS factor significantly improved after the shunt operation, but the RS factor did not. The improvement of cognitive impairment was the major factor in reducing caregiver burden.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shunt operations reduced the caregiver burden of iNPH patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan. kazui @ psy.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kazui
authors.forename: Etsuro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Masatsune
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Nobutsugu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirono
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007564:Japan; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt