Background
Several studies have reported that emotional lability is a common consequence of stroke.
However, there is uncertainty about the “true” prevalence of the condition because,
across these studies, patients have been recruited at different stages of recovery,
from different settings, and using different diagnostic methods. There have been no
systematic reviews of the published evidence to ascertain how the prevalence of poststroke
pseudobulbar affect (PBA) might vary according to these factors.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature were undertaken.
Results
A total of 15 studies (n = 3391 participants) met inclusion criteria for the review.
Meta-analysis estimated that the prevalence of PBA was 17% (95% confidence interval
12%-24%) acutely (<1 month post stroke), 20% (14%-29%) post acutely (1-6 months post
stroke), and 12% (8%-17%) in the medium to longer term (>6 months post stroke). The
evidence from the published literature, although limited, is that crying is a more
common PBA presentation following stroke than laughter.
Conclusions
PBA is a common condition that affects approximately 1 in 5 stroke survivors at the
acute and postacute phases, and 1 in 8 survivors beyond 6 months post stroke. These
prevalence data are very important for clinicians and the commissioners of services.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 05, 2016
Accepted:
November 25,
2015
Received in revised form:
October 10,
2015
Received:
August 18,
2015
Footnotes
Grant support: This work was supported by funding from Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
Identification
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2015.11.038
Copyright
© 2016 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
