"Whispering stroke" impairs quality of life

NEW YORK, Aug 3 (Reuters) Symptoms suggestive of stroke that don't lead to an actual stroke diagnosis, sometimes called a ''whispering'' stroke, can still impair physical functioning and quality of life, US researchers report.

Many physicians think that an extensive work-up for vague stroke symptoms is not necessary, but these symptoms ''substantially lower a person's quality of life'' and may have serious implications, lead author Dr George Howard, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, commented in a statement.

The findings, which appear in the journal Stroke, stem from a comparison of mental and physical functioning in 16,090 symptom-free subjects, 3,404 subjects with stroke symptoms but no formal diagnosis, 1,491 patients with a prior stroke, and 818 patients with a history of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), also known as ''mini-strokes.'' Standard questionnaires were used to assess functional ability.

The researchers found that physical functioning and, to a lesser extent mental functioning, in patients with stroke symptoms but no diagnosis were worse than in symptom-free subjects and on par with what was noted in TIA patients. As anticipated, stroke patients had the greatest impairments in physical and mental functioning.

The differences between the groups were still apparent after accounting for demographic variables, health behaviors, and various stroke risk factors, the authors note.

Symptoms of weakness or numbness were predictive of greater reductions in physical functioning, while difficulties in expression or language comprehension were tied to impairments in mental functioning.

''These results show a need for a greater awareness of stroke symptoms and a need to take these symptoms seriously,'' Howard emphasized. ''These symptoms could indicate that a person already has had a small stroke, which greatly increases the risk of major stroke.'' Reuters SG GC0937