Background: Patient- and caregiver-reported data are lacking on the burden of spasticity, and the impact of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT-A) treatment for this condition, on patients' daily lives. As recommended in recent guidance from the US Food and Drug Administration, online patient communities can represent a platform from which to gather specific information outside of a clinical trial setting on the burden of conditions experienced by patients and caregivers and their views on treatment options in order to inform evidence-based medicine and drug development. Objective: The objective of our study is to characterize spasticity symptoms and their associated burdens on Western European and US patients and caregivers in the realms of work, daily activities, quality of life (QoL), as well as the positive and negative impacts of treatment with BoNT-A (cost, time, QoL) using Carenity, an international online community for people with chronic health conditions. Methods: We performed a noninterventional, multinational survey. Eligible participants were 18 years old or older and had, or had cared for, someone with spasticity who had been treated with BoNT-A for at least 1 year. Patients and caregivers were asked to complete an internet-based survey via Carenity; caregivers reported their own answers and answered on behalf of their patients. Questions included the burden of spasticity on the ability to work, functioning, daily-living activities, and QoL, the impact of BoNT A therapy on patients' lives, and the potential benefits of fewer injections. Results: There were 615 respondents (427 patients and 188 caregivers). The mean age of patients and caregivers was 41.7 years and 38.6 years, respectively, and the most commonly reported cause of spasticity was multiple sclerosis. Caregivers were most often the parents (76/188, 40%) or another family member (51/188, 27%) of their patients. Spasticity had a clear impact on patients' and caregivers' lives, including the ability to work and injection costs. For patients, spasticity caused difficulties with activities of daily living and reduced QoL indices. The median number of BoNT-A injections was 4 times per year, and 92% (393/427) of patients reported that treatment improved their overall satisfaction with life. Regarding the BoNT-A injection burden, the greatest patient-reported challenges were the cost and availability of timely appointments. Overall, 86% (368/427) of patients believed that a reduced injection frequency would be beneficial. Caregivers answering for their patients gave largely similar responses to those reported by patients. Conclusions: Spasticity has a negative impact on both patients' and caregivers' lives. All respondents reported that BoNT A treatment improved their lives, despite the associated challenges. Patients believed that reducing the frequency of BoNT-A injections could alleviate practical issues associated with treatment, implying that a longer-acting BoNT-A injection would be well received.

Background. Improving our knowledge about the impact of restorative therapies employed in the rehabilitation of a stroke patient may help guide practitioners in prescribing treatment regimen that may lead to better post-stroke recovery and quality of life. Aims. To evaluate the neurological and functional recovery for 3 months after an acute ischemic stroke occurred within previous 3 months. To determine predictors of recovery. Design. Prospective observational registry. Population. Patients having suffered acute moderate to severe ischemic stroke of moderate to severe intensity within the previous 3 months with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score from 10 to 20, 24 hours after arrival at emergency room (ER). Methods. All prespecified variables (sociodemographic and clinical data, lifestyle recommendations, rehabilitation prescription, and neurological assessments) were assessed at three visits, i.e., baseline (D0), one month (M1), and three months (M3). Results. Out of 143 recruited patients, 131 could be analysed at study entry within 3 months after stroke onset with a mean acute NIHSS score of 14.05, decreased to 10.8 at study baseline. Study sample was aged 64.9±13.8years, with 49.2% of women. Neurorehabilitation treatment was applied to 9 of 10 patients from the acute phase and for three months with different intensities depending on the centre. A large proportion of patients recovered from severe dependency on activities of daily living (ADL) at D0 to a mild or moderate disability requiring some help at M3: mean NIHSS=10.8to5.7; medianmodifiedRankinScalemRS=4to3; BarthelindexBI=40to70; all pvalues<0.001. Multivariate analyses integrating other regression variables showed a trend in favour of rehabilitation and revascularization therapies on recovery although did not reach statistical significance and that the positive predictors of recovery improvement were baseline BI score, time to treatment, and dietary supplement MLC901 (NurAiD™II). A larger percentage of patients with more severe stroke (NIHSS>14) who received MLC901 showed above median improvements on mRS compared to control group at M1 (71.4% vs. 29.4%; p=0.032) and M3 (85.7% vs. 50%; p=0.058). Older subjects and women tend to have less improvement by M3. Conclusions. Our study in patients with moderate to severe stroke shows overall recovery on neurological and functional assessments during the 3 months of study observation. Apart from demonstrating traditional “non-modifiable” predictors of outcome after stroke, like age, sex, and stroke severity, we also detected association between the use of dietary supplement MLC901 and recovery.

Falls are a major health problem in elderly institutionalised patients, due to the associated high morbidity and mortality rates and the impact on future quality of life. To analyse the incidence and patient profile for falls, and to identify potential causes and effects. We also assess the efficacy of intervention in selected patients in preventing further falls. We performed a prospective study at a long-term care centre for 12 months. Data were collected via fall reports. The falls committee drafted a monthly data collection form. A total of 155 falls were recorded in 80 patients, with 40% presenting more than one fall. Patients aged over 70 years accounted for 84.5% of falls; 42.7% of patients are able to walk independently; 55.5% of falls occurred in the bedroom; 74.8% of patients had been prescribed sedatives or psychoactive, or antihypertensive drugs; 27.7% of falls were due to loss of balance and 22.5% were due to patients performing an activity for which they did not have the capacity. Fractures occurred in 1.9% of patients. Patients aged over 70 years, walking independently, receiving sedatives or psychoactive or antihypertensive drugs, and with history of falls were at greatest risk. The majority of falls occurred in the bedroom. Physiotherapy interventions were highly effective in cases selected by the falls committee.