Poststroke Fatigue Assessment and Management
Summary
Fatigue following stroke is a prevalent and enduring symptom characterised by overwhelming physical and mental exhaustion that is disproportionate to activity levels and poorly alleviated by rest. It arises from complex interactions between neuroinflammatory processes, disrupted neural networks involved in energy regulation, and psychosocial stressors such as mood disturbances and social isolation. Assessment employs a combination of self-report scales, performance-based tests and wearable monitoring to capture the multidimensional nature of fatigue. Management strategies integrate individually tailored exercise programmes, sleep hygiene optimisation, psychological support and community-based rehabilitation. Recent advances emphasise early identification through digital tools and the use of physiological biomarkers to guide personalised interventions, with the aim of restoring functional capacity, enhancing quality of life and supporting return to work on a global scale.
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Poststroke Fatigue Assessment and Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in poststroke fatigue assessment and management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Poststroke fatigue (PSF): A persistent, disproportionate sense of tiredness experienced after stroke, affecting physical, cognitive and emotional functioning.
Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS): A validated self-report questionnaire measuring the severity and impact of fatigue across physical and mental domains.
Actigraphy: Objective monitoring of movement and rest cycles using a wearable sensor to assess sleep patterns and daily activity levels.
Biomarker: A measurable biological parameter, such as an inflammatory protein or neurotrophic factor, used to indicate physiological processes or treatment response.
Non-pharmacological interventions: Therapeutic approaches excluding medications, including exercise therapy, cognitive behavioural strategies and patient education programmes.
References
- Association of post-stroke fatigue with physical activity and physical fitness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Stroke (2023).
- Improving physical movement during stroke rehabilitation: investigating associations between sleep measured by wearable actigraphy technology, fatigue, and key biomarkers. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation (2024).
- The impact of post-stroke fatigue on work and other everyday life activities for the working age population – a registry-based cohort study. Annals of Medicine (2023).
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