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Objective: To evaluate if positioning the upper-limb promoting abduction, external rotation and flexion of the shoulder reduces the intensity of post-stroke shoulder pain at day-7 compared to usual clinical practice. Design & setting: Prospective single-center randomized clinical trial using a superiority design comparing two preventive strategies of post-stroke shoulder pain in a stroke unit. Subjects: Patients were included within 2 days from a first symptomatic ischemic stroke affecting shoulder motor function. Interventions: Intervention group included specific positioning of the shoulder in abduction, external rotation and flexion in bed, chair and during mobilization. Control group referred to usual practice i.e. positioning using a standard support scarf. Main measures: Primary outcome was the intensity of shoulder pain assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) (0–100) at day-7 post-stroke. Other outcomes measured at day-7 and 2 months post-stroke were the VAS, motor function, spasticity, depression, functional independence and rates of complex regional Pain syndrome (CRPS). Results: 76 patients (49 males; mean age = 68.3) were randomized. The shoulder pain at day-7 was not different between the control group (16.1, SD = 27.4) and the intervention group (10.3, SD = 21.5, p = 0.18) as well as at 2 months (p = 0.12). A lower rate of depression was observed in the intervention group at 2 months 36.7% (CI95% 19.9;56.1) vs 52.9% (CI95% 35.1;70.2). No between-group difference in other outcomes was observed at 2 months. Conclusions: This study failed to demonstrate the benefit of a specific positioning tool in reducing the intensity of post-stroke shoulder pain which was lower than previously reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether social contact and support received during hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke predict depression and daily life functioning three months later. Design: Prospective observational study using Ecological Momentary Assessments to evaluate the number of social contacts as well as social support received from family, friends and medical staff within 24 hours following admission for stroke. Patients also monitored depression symptoms and behavior in real-time and in daily life contexts three months later. Setting: A university hospital acute stroke unit. Subjects: Thirty-four mild ischemic stroke patients. Interventions: None. Main measures: One-day Ecological Momentary Assessments immediately following stroke collected information concerning perceived social support, number of social contacts and depression symptoms. Ecological Momentary Assessments was repeated three months later and addressed depression levels as well as activities of daily living, such as working, cooking, shopping and housework. Results: The number of social interactions received at hospitalization did not predict three-month outcomes. However, a better quality of moral support from friends and family immediately after stroke was associated with decreases in later depression levels (p = 0.041) and increases in activities of daily living (p = 0.011). Material support from friends and family was associated with increases in activities of daily living (p = 0.012). No effect was observed for support received from medical staff. Conclusions: Patient perceptions of better support quality, and not quantity, immediately following mild stroke, are associated with better behavioral and emotional outcomes three months later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]