A roadmap for research in post-stroke fatigue: consensus-based core recommendations from the third Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable

English, Coralie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5910-7927, Simpson, Dawn B ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9386-4830, Billinger, Sandra A ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1618-7207, Churilov, Leonid, Coupland, Kirsten G, Drummond, Avril, Kuppuswamy, Annapoorna ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4288-0814, Kutlubaev, Mansur A ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1001-2024, Lerdal, Anners ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7144-5096, Mahmood, Amreen, Moseley, G Lorimer, Pittman, Quentin J, Riley, Ellyn A ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0652-3104, Sutherland, Brad A ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0791-0950, Wong, Connie HY ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9020-1847, Corbett, Dale and Mead, Gillian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7494-2023 (2024) A roadmap for research in post-stroke fatigue: consensus-based core recommendations from the third Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable. International Journal of Stroke, 19 (2). pp. 133-144. ISSN 1747-4930

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Abstract

Rationale: Fatigue affects almost half of all people living with stroke. Stroke survivors rank understanding fatigue and how to reduce it as one of the highest research priorities. Methods: We convened an interdisciplinary, international group of clinical and pre-clinical researchers and lived experience experts. We identified four priority areas: (1) best measurement tools for research, (2) clinical identification of fatigue and potentially modifiable causes, (3) promising interventions and recommendations for future trials, and (4) possible biological mechanisms of fatigue. Cross-cutting themes were aphasia and the voice of people with lived experience. Working parties were formed and structured consensus building processes were followed. Results: We present 20 recommendations covering outcome measures for research, development, and testing of new interventions and priority areas for future research on the biology of post-stroke fatigue. We developed and recommend the use of the Stroke Fatigue Clinical Assessment Tool. Conclusions: By synthesizing current knowledge in post-stroke fatigue across clinical and pre-clinical fields, our work provides a roadmap for future research into post-stroke fatigue.