A test that can determine the prognosis after stroke

A Letter Number Sequencing Test will help predict the risk of death in old people who have already suffered one stroke in the past.

During the recent studies, scientists have managed to develop a new diagnostic method that makes it possible to identify a number of complications, including a fatal outcome, in people who have already suffered one stroke previously. A simple cognitive test involves the matching of lines between numbers and letters in descending order in a short period of time. The goal of the test is to indicate how well consciousness and mental activity work in such patients.

The experiment involved the participation of 919 men within the age group of 65-75. They were monitored for 14 years, in parallel with diagnostic measures that recorded any changes in the body. In addition, such important factors as bad habits, hereditary and chronic diseases, general condition of the patients were taken into account as well. The results of the test among the participants were divided into two types, one of which indicated a simple combination of order numbers scattered across the page. The second type of drawings included the alternation of letters and numbers matched in descending order in the shortest possible time. The time indicators of the task execution indicated disorders of mental activity.

During the monitoring period, 155 (16.9%) participants suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack characterized by a temporary limitation of blood flow to a specific part of the brain. This condition lasts several minutes and causes symptoms similar to a stroke. Although TIA can lead to long-term effects, most of the symptoms disappear within a few days. Nonetheless, according to scientists, TIA is a warning sign for the possibility of a stroke in the future. 84 patients who have suffered a stroke or TIA died within the next two years. 24 of these cases were fatal in the first month after the stroke. When scientists examined the relationship between the results of the cognitive test and mortality rates, they noted that poor results matched the patients who died during this period. In addition, it was found that the available signs of diabetes and high blood pressure significantly increased the risk of death after the first stroke. Thus, a comparison of the results indicated an increased risk of complications by three times among the patients with low test results.

Scientists note that this test can be an auxiliary aid for examining patients who are at risk of a recurrent stroke and other serious complications. The developed method does not require special equipment or training and can be used in parallel with other diagnostic methods.

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