Background
Subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) are common after stroke, but detailed information
about how SCCs differ between patients with stroke versus stroke-free individuals
is not available. We evaluated the prevalence and profile of the 2 SCC components
(content and worry) in patients 3 months after stroke versus controls using both a
generic and a stroke-specific instrument.
Methods
Using a cross-sectional design, 142 patients were compared to 135 controls (matched
at group level on age, sex, and estimate of premorbid intelligence quotient). SCC-content
and SCC-worry were assessed using the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and the
Checklist of Cognitive and Emotional Consequences after stroke (CLCE-24). Univariate
and multivariate linear (for continuous scores) and logistic (for dichotomous scores)
regression analyses were used to explore differences between patients and controls
on both instruments.
Results
Based on the CLCE, patients reported more SCC-content (standardized β = .21, p.001)
and SCC-worry (standardized β = .18, p.02) than controls in multivariate analyses.
Profiles indicated that stroke was associated in particular with SCC-content on the
domains of memory, attention, executive functioning, expressive language, and with
attention-related SCC-worry. In contrast, no group differences were found on SCC-content
and SCC-worry assessed by the CFQ.
Conclusions
The prevalence and profile of SCC-content and SCC-worry differ between patients and
controls 3 months after stroke. The instrument used may, however, determine prevalence
estimates. Stroke-specific inventories that differentiate between SCC-content and
SCC-worry are preferable when attempting to determine SCC after stroke.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 18, 2015
Accepted:
April 12,
2015
Received in revised form:
March 16,
2015
Received:
January 6,
2015
Footnotes
This study was financially supported by the Centre of Research on Psychology in Somatic diseases (CoRPS) from Tilburg University, The Netherlands.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Identification
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2015.04.017
Copyright
© 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
