Taiwan Poststroke Disability Study: A Study Protocol

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability in Taiwan, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its long-term impacts. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and progression of poststroke disabilities across motor, swallowing, cognitive, emotional, epilepsy, and quality-of-life domains. Materials and Methods: This multicenter, prospective cohort study will recruit 2000 acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients from 14 major hospitals in Taiwan. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months poststroke using validated tools, questionnaires, imaging, and blood biomarkers (ClinicalTrials registered no: NCT06772194). Results: Key outcomes include motor function recovery, prevalence of dysphagia, cognitive impairment, poststroke depression, and epilepsy, as well as quality-of-life measures. Advanced imaging techniques and biomarker analyses, including genome-wide association studies, will explore predictors of disability and recovery. Conclusions: This study seeks to address gaps in stroke recovery research by integrating clinical and biological data to enhance personalized stroke management. T-PODS is expected to inform strategies for reducing disability and improving long-term outcomes for stroke survivors in Taiwan, contributing to the global effort to optimize stroke care and rehabilitation.