Article

We reviewed all randomised trials on cognitive rehabilitation in order to
determine the effective elements in terms of patients' and treatment
characteristics, treatment goals and outcome. A total of 95 random controlled
trials were included from January 1980 until August 2010 studying 4068 patients
in total. Most studies had been conducted on language (n = 25), visuospatial
functioning (n = 24), and memory (n = 14). Stroke patients were the commonest
subjects (57%; overall mean age = 52.2, SD = 15.0 years). Of the interventions
39% were offered more than 12 months after onset and 23% were offered within two
months of onset. The mean (SD) number of hours of treatment actually delivered
was 4.1 (3.6) per week; treatment was mostly offered individually. No papers gave
specific information on the expertise or competences of the staff involved. With
95 RCTs there is a large body of evidence to support the efficacy of cognitive
rehabilitation, and the current study can serve as a database for clinicians and
researchers. But most studies have given little information about the actual
content of the treatment which makes it difficult to use the studies when making
treatment decisions in daily clinical practice. We suggest developing an
international checklist to make standardised description of non-pharmacological
complex interventions possible.

Langue : ANGLAIS