title: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Treatment for Post-Stroke Homonymous Hemianopia: Screening and Recruitment.
abstract: The authors report the screening process and recruitment figures for the VISION (Visual Impairment in Stroke; Intervention Or Not) trial. This is a prospective, randomised, single-blinded, three-arm controlled trial in 14 UK acute hospital stroke units. Stroke teams identified stroke survivors suspected as having homonymous hemianopia. Interventions included Fresnel prisms versus visual search training versus standard care (information only). Primary outcome was change in visual field assessment from baseline to 26 weeks. Secondary measures included change in quality-of-life questionnaires. Recruitment opened in May 2011. A total of 1171 patients were screened by the local principal investigators. Of 1171 patients, 178 (15.2%) were eligible for recruitment: 87 patients (7.4%) provided consent and were recruited; 91 patients (7.8%) did not provide consent, and 993 of 1171 patients (84.8%) failed to meet the eligibility criteria. Almost half were excluded due to complete/partial recovery of hemianopia (43.6%;n= 511). The most common ineligibility reason was recovery of hemianopia. When designing future trials in this area, changes in eligibility criteria/outcome selection to allow more patients to be recruited should be considered, e.g., less stringent levels of visual acuity/refractive error. Alternative outcomes measurable in the home environment, rather than requiring hospital attendance for follow-up, could facilitate increased recruitment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Fiona J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Conroy
authors.affiliation: Department of Elderly Care, Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust , Warrington, UK.
authors.forename: P Graham
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: Clinical Trials Research Centre, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bedson
authors.affiliation: Clinical Trials Research Centre, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cwiklinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthoptics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust , Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dodridge
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham , Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Avril
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia-Finana
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthoptics, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust , Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic Impact Team, Royal National Institute for the Blind , Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Stevie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthoptics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust , Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: MacIntosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust , Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Carmel P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Noonan
authors.affiliation: Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University , Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.affiliation: Speakability North West , London, UK.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rockliffe
authors.affiliation: Division of Health and Social Care, King's College , London, UK.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sackley
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthoptics, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust , Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shipman
keywords: Fresnel prisms; homonymous hemianopia; randomised controlled trial; recruitment; screening; stroke; visual search