A Role for New Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Modalities in Daily Clinical Practice: Protocol of the Prediction of Cognitive Recovery After Stroke (PROCRAS) Study

Hugo P Aben, Yael D Reijmer, Johanna Ma Visser-Meily, Jacoba M Spikman, Jeroen de Bresser, Geert Jan Biessels, Paul Lm de Kort

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Abstract

Background: Cognitive impairment is common after acute ischemic stroke, affecting up to 75% of the patients. About half of the patients will show recovery, whereas the others will remain cognitively impaired or deteriorate. It is difficult to predict these different cognitive outcomes. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate whether diffusion tensor imaging-based measures of brain connectivity predict cognitive recovery after 1 year, in addition to patient characteristics and stroke severity. A specific premise of the Prediction of Cognitive Recovery After Stroke (PROCRAS) study is that it is conducted in a daily practice setting. Methods: The PROCRAS study is a prospective, mono-center cohort study conducted in a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands. A total of 350 patients suffering from an ischemic stroke who screen positive for cognitive impairment on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA<26) in the acute stage will undergo a 3Tesla-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3T-MRI) with a diffusion-weighted sequence and a neuropsychological assessment. Patients will be classified as being unimpaired, as having a mild vascular cognitive disorder, or as having a major vascular cognitive disorder. One year after stroke, patients will undergo follow-up neuropsychological assessment. The primary endpoint is recovery of cognitive function 1 year after stroke in patients with a confirmed poststroke cognitive disorder. The secondary endpoint is deterioration of cognitive function in the first year after stroke. Results: The study is already ongoing for 1.5 years, and thus far, 252 patients have provided written informed consent. Final results are expected in June 2019. Conclusions: The PROCRAS study will show the additional predictive value of diffusion tensor imaging-based measures of brain connectivity for cognitive outcome at 1 year in patients with a poststroke cognitive disorder in a daily clinical practice setting.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere127
Pages (from-to)e127
JournalJMIR Research Protocols
Volume7
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2018

Keywords

  • Anisotropy
  • Brain infarction
  • Cognitive dysfunction
  • Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging
  • Diffusion tensor imaging
  • Stroke

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