Cognitive behavioral stress management effectively facilitates neurologic recovery, alleviates mental distress, and elevates health status in acute ischemic stroke patients

Cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) relieves physical and psychological burdens in patients with some central nervous system diseases, while its utility in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients is unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of CBSM on neurologic recovery and psychosomatic health in AIS patients. Totally, 176 naive AIS patients were randomized into routine care (RC) group (n=88) and CBSM group (n=88) to receive a 3-month corresponding intervention. Modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores at the first month after discharge (M1) (P=0.008) and the third month after discharge (M3) (P=0.016) were lower in the CBSM group than in the RC group. The proportion of AIS patients with mRS score >2 at M3 was reduced in CBSM group vs RC group (P=0.045). Hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS)-anxiety score at M3 (P=0.016), HADS-depression score at M3 (P=0.005), and depression rate at M3 (P=0.021) were decreased in the CBSM group vs the RC group. EuroQol-5 dimension scores at M1 (P=0.024) and M3 (P=0.012) were decreased, while EuroQol-visual analogue scale score at M3 (P=0.026) was increased in the CBSM group vs the RC group. By subgroup analyses, CBSM had favorable outcomes in AIS patients with age ≤65 years. CBSM was beneficial to neurologic recovery and distress relief in AIS patients with an education level of middle school or above, and to health status in those with an education level of primary school or uneducated. In conclusion, CBSM benefitted neurologic recovery and psychosomatic health in AIS patients with minor neurological deficits, however, further studies should verify these results with a larger sample size and longer follow-up.