Title:Donepezil Improves Gait Performance in Patients with an Acute Cerebral Infarction: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Ying-Ying Lin, Shi-Jie Guo, Hui Quan, Yan-Xin Zhao*Dong-Ya Huang*
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072,China
- Department of Neurology, Tongji University School of Medicine, East Hospital, 150 Jimo Road, Shanghai 200120,China
Keywords:
Donepezil, cerebral infarction, gait performance, WGS, risk factors, NIHSS.
Abstract:
Background: Hemiplegia is a common symptom after acute cerebral infarction.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the influence factors of gait performance and investigate
whether donepezil could improve gait performance in patients with an acute cerebral infarction.
Methods: A total of 107 patients who experienced unilateral paresis after an acute cerebral infarction
incident were enrolled in this prospectively observational study. Participants underwent a 3-
month assessment. At the study's conclusion, patients were divided into 2 groups-those who received
donepezil daily (observation Group) and those who did not (Control Group).
Results: There was a significant difference (t=3.269, P=0.001) of Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS)
score between single site infarction (27.11±6.65) and multiple sites infarction (31.54±6.42). For
gender, smoking, drinking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, there was no difference in
WGS scores between subgroups (P>0.05), respectively. The patient's admission National Institute
of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS) score had a strongly positive correlation with WGS score (r=0.850,
P<0.001). Besides, age (r=0.218, P=0.024), glycosylated hemoglobin (r=0.274, P=0.004), MMSE
(r=-0.261, P=0.007) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (r=-0.272, P=0.005) had a weak
correlation with WGS scores. Multivariate analysis showed age (95% CI: 0.042~0.188, P=0.002),
admission NIHSS score (95% CI: 2.405~3.137, P<0.001) and multiple sites infarction (95% CI:
0.044~2.983, P=0.044) were independent risk factors of WGS scores. WGS scores of both observation
and control groups gradually decreased after admission (P<0.001). At 3 months after admission,
WGS score of the observation group was significantly lower than the control group
(t=2.468, P=0.015). There were no significant differences between observation and control group
at admission and 1 month after admission (P>0.05) and WGS scores of both single site and multiple
sites infarction gradually decreased at one month and three months after admission (P<0.001),
while there was no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Admission NIHSS score, age and multiple sites infarction were independent risk factors
of WGS score. Donepezil could improve gait performance in patients with acute cerebral infarction.
