title: Executive dysfunction and balance function post-stroke: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the: (1) prevalence of executive dysfunction (ED); (2) demographic and clinical differences between participants with ED and without ED and; (3) independent association between executive function (EF) and balance post-stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four large acute hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of people with first stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Balance function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EF, stroke severity, depression and global cognition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive statistics were used to report the prevalence of ED post-stroke. Comparisons of demographic and clinical characteristics were made between participants with ED and participants without ED using independent t-tests. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis determined the association between EF and balance post-stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participant (n=100) age ranged from 31 to 98 years, time since stroke ranged from 4 to 180 days and the participants reported formal education ranging from 7 to 21 years. Participants with ED had more severe strokes (BADS) [median (IQR) vs. median (IQR), p-value] [(44 (16) vs. (51 (7), p<0.01], poorer global cognition [24 (6) vs. 29 (2), p<0.01] and poorer balance [29 (40) vs. 46.5 (17), p<0.01] in comparison with participants without ED. Age (β=-0.24, p<0.05), years in education, (β=-0.21, p<0.05), stroke severity (β=0.71, p<0.01), time since stroke, (β=-0.17, p<0.01) and EF (β=0.19, p<0.05) were independently associated with balance post-stroke. The total variance in balance explained by the model was 72%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ED is independently associated with balance post-stroke. Physiotherapists should consider this when developing rehabilitation strategies to improve balance post-stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. Electronic address: sara.hayes@ul.ie.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University in Bahrain, Al Sayh, Bahrain. Electronic address: cdonnellan@rcsi-mub.com.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donnellan
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Physiotherapy, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. Electronic address: estokes@tcd.ie.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stokes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*
keywords: Balance function; Executive dysfunction; Physiotherapy; Stroke