title: Secondary prevention lifestyle interventions initiated within 90 days after TIA or 'minor' stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of rehabilitation programmes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Strokes are often preceded by a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or 'minor' stroke. The immediate period after a TIA/minor stroke is a crucial time to initiate secondary prevention. However, the optimal approach to prevention, including non-pharmacological measures, after TIA is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To systematically review evidence about the effectiveness of delivering secondary prevention, with lifestyle interventions, in comprehensive rehabilitation programmes, initiated within 90 days of a TIA/minor stroke. Also, to categorise the specific behaviour change techniques used.
  
  
  METHODS
  The review identified randomised controlled trials by searching the Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Web of Science, EBSCO CINAHL and Ovid PsycINFO.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts for eligibility (programmes initiated within 90 days of event; outcomes reported for TIA/minor stroke) and extracted relevant data from appraised studies; a meta-analysis was used to synthesise the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 31 potentially eligible papers were identified and four studies, comprising 774 patients post-TIA or minor stroke, met the inclusion criteria; two had poor methodological quality. Individual studies reported increased aerobic capacity but meta-analysis found no significant change in resting and peak systolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, aerobic capacity, falls, or mortality. The main behaviour change techniques were goal setting and instructions about how to perform given behaviours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of early post-TIA rehabilitation programmes with preventive lifestyle interventions. Further robust randomised controlled trials of comprehensive rehabilitation programmes that promote secondary prevention and lifestyle modification immediately after a TIA are needed.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast; UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), Institute of Clinical Science B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heron
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast; UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), Institute of Clinical Science B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast; UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), Institute of Clinical Science B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cardwell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast; UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), Institute of Clinical Science B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tully
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast; UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), Institute of Clinical Science B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast; UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), Institute of Clinical Science B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cupples
mesh_terms: D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: behaviour change techniques; early rehabilitation; lifestyle interventions; secondary prevention; transient ischaemic attack; ‘minor’ stroke