Differences in symptom clusters based on multidimensional symptom experience and symptom burden in stroke patients

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Psychology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Identifying symptom clusters in stroke patients is essential for effective management.
• Previous research has not clearly defined the optimal dimensions (occurrence, severity, distress, burden) for constructing these clusters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize symptom clusters in stroke patients.
• To determine the most suitable symptom dimension for cluster extraction.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory factor analysis was used on data from 656 stroke patients.
• Symptom clusters were analyzed based on occurrence, severity, distress, and symptom burden.

Main Results:

• Four consistent symptom clusters were identified: mood disturbance, physical symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, and speech/swallowing issues.
• Symptom occurrence and symptom burden demonstrated high consistency across dimensions for cluster identification.

Conclusions:

• Symptom occurrence and symptom burden are recommended for identifying stroke symptom clusters.
• Further research using these dimensions will support clinical interventions and scientific understanding.