Influence of visual symptoms on posturographic performance after stroke

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Clinical Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability.
• Dizziness and visual disturbances are common post-stroke complaints.
• Understanding these symptoms is crucial for effective rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of visual symptoms in dizziness patients post-stroke.
• To compare posturographic results in these patients.
• To correlate clinical aspects with stroke characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Observational, cross-sectional study with quantitative analysis.
• 50 patients aged 18+ reporting dizziness post-ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke were evaluated.
• Dynamic Foam-Laser Posturography and clinical anamnesis were used.

Main Results:

• 28 subjects (56%) reported stroke-related visual symptoms.
• Imbalance was the prevalent dizziness type; ischemic stroke was most frequent.
• Poorer Sensory Organization Test (SOT) values were observed, linked to age, visual preference, and posterior stroke location.

Conclusions:

• Visual symptoms are highly prevalent in stroke survivors with dizziness.
• A significant relationship exists between visual symptoms and impaired visual preference in the Sensory Organization Test.