Feasibility of Measuring Vertical Perception in Acute Stroke

Summary

The goal of this observational study is to establish if it is feasible to identify vertical perception deficits in people with acute stroke. The primary purpose to the study is:

• To establish the feasibility of completing the Catherine Bergego Scale, Scale for Contraversive Pushing (SCP) and bucket test in a clinical environment with acute stroke patients to assist with identification of vertical perception loss.

Participants will be asked to complete the assessments with a therapist 48 hours after admission. If they are not completed for any reason attempts will be made to complete them at one, two and four weeks after admission. Some participants will have them completed again on discharge. The Catherine Bergego Scale and SCP are observational and will involve a therapist watching the participant undertake daily activities. The bucket test involves a therapist placing a bucket in front of the face of the participant and asking them to identify when a line on the bottom of the bucket is vertical. Acceptabiliy and feasibility will be further investigated using a survey of participants who complete the assessments and through focus groups with the rehabilitation professionals admininstering the assessments.

If it is feasible and acceptable to complete these assessments then further research can use them as an acceptable measure of vertical alignment in the clinical setting.

Conditions

• Stroke

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Scale for Contraversive Pushing

Lateropulsion will be assessed using the Scale for Contraversive Pushing (SCP). It involves observation of the posture of the participant in sitting and standing. Scores are assessed in sitting and standing giving a maximum score of 6.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Catherine Bergego Scale

Neglect will be assessed using the Catherine Bergego Scale. The scale is a 10-point scale with each item scored between 0 (no neglect) and 3 (severe neglect). It involves observation of a participant completing daily activities such as eating, dressing and walking.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Bucket Test

The bucket test involves the patient being sat upright and looking into a translucent bucket with the bucket covering their complete field of vision. On the inside of the bucket on the bottom is a dark straight line. On the outside of the bottom of the bucket is a matching dark line, the bottom of the bucket is divided into degrees with the zero-degree line being equivalent to the line inside the bucket. For measurement the bucket will be randomly rotated right or left by the examiner to 45 degrees and then slowly rotated back to the zero-degree position. Patients will signal when they estimate the inside bottom line to be truly vertical by saying "stop" or by raising their non-paretic hand.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

  collaborator OTHER

• University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• University of Winchester

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Prof James Faulkner, PhD · University of Winchester

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-05-01

Primary Completion

2024-10-31

Completion

2024-12-03

Countries

• United Kingdom

Study Locations