Psychiatria pre prax 1/2023

Screening for cognitive impairment in patients after stroke

Introduction and aims: Cognitive impairment (CI) is also a frequent consequence of stroke. According to the literature, the prevalence of CI after stroke is relatively high, but quite heterogeneous (from 7% to 80%) (1). The aim of the study is to analyze the prevalence of CI in the early period after an ischemic stroke. Material and methodology: Of the 1328 patients with stroke admitted to the Neurological Department of the UPJŠ Faculty of Medicine and L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice, in 300 patients cognitive functions were examined using the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) test. Results: The prevalence of CI (in average eighth day after admission) was 80% and in most patients it was at the level of mild cognitive impairment. The average total MoCA score was 21 points, and the most frequently affected cognitive domains were executive and visuospatial functions, language and memory. Conclusions: CI after ischaemic stroke is a relatively common phenomenon, however, the patient’s cognitive performance tends to spontaneous regression, and the percentage of patients with CI several months after stroke decreases, even according to the available literature. Therefore, every patient with CI after stroke should undergo at least one control examination of cognitive functions with an interval of at least six months.

Keywords: cognitive impairment, early cognitive impairment after stroke, post-stroke cognitive impairment, MoCA