G. Le Dorze

A Comparison of the Prosodic Characteristics of the Speech of People with Parkinson’s Disease and Friedreich’s Ataxia with Neurologically Normal Speakers

The realization of prosody (speech rate, fundamental frequency, intonation) was investigated in a group of 10 individuals with Parkinson’s disease and a group of 10 individuals with Friedreich’s ataxia. Data from these two neurologically disordered groups were compared to individuals without neurological impairment. Both neurologically impaired groups retained some aspects of normal speech prosody, while other aspects were affected to a significant degree. The prosodic characteristics of speakers with Parkinson’s disease were distinct from those of speakers with Friedreich’s ataxia. These results were interpreted in terms of prosodic competence and prosodic performance.

Report from ROMA: an update on the development of a core outcome set for aphasia research

Background: A Core Outcome Set (COS) is a minimum set of outcomes that should be measured and reported in research trials of a specific health condition or population. The use of a COS does not preclude the measurement of study-specific outcomes, but rather represents the minimum outcomes that should be collected and reported. Benefits of COSs include: (1) increased transparency and reliability of research findings through the recommended reporting of a minimum set of outcomes; (2) production of compatible research data which can be efficiently synthesised in subsequent meta-analyses; and (3) reduced research wastage through the measurement of relevant outcomes which are more likely to inform treatment decision-making. This presentation provides an update on ongoing works to develop a COS for aphasia treatment research (Wallace, Worrall, Rose, & Le Dorze, 2016, 2017a, 2017b; Wallace, Worrall, Rose, Le Dorze, et al., 2017). Research to date has identified essential outcome constructs as: language, communication, patient-reported satisfaction with treatment and impact of treatment, emotional wellbeing, and quality of life (Wallace, Worrall, Rose, & Le Dorze, 2017a). During the first ROMA consensus meeting, consensus was reached for measures of language (The Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB-R); 74%), emotional wellbeing (General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12 (83% consensus); and quality of life (Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale (SAQOL-39); 96%). Aims: To provide an update on the ROMA (Improving Research Outcome Measurement in Aphasia) project to develop a COS for aphasia treatment research. Methods & Procedures: This presentation will provide an update on the ROMA consensus statement and current research exploring measures of communication for inclusion in the COS. Outcomes from the 2nd ROMA international consensus meeting will be discussed. Outcomes & Results: ROMA COS consensus statement. The ROMA consensus statement provides recommendations for a COS for aphasia treatment research. The consensus statement has been endorsed by the Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists, the British Aphasiology Society, The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, and the German Society for Aphasia Research and Therapy. Measuring communication as a core outcome in aphasia trials: Updates will be provided on current research examining the measurement of communication in aphasia trials. The outcomes from the 2nd ROMA international consensus meeting, which aims to develop a research agenda for the identification of a core measure of communication, will be discussed. Conclusions: How an outcome is defined and measured is critical in research design. Wellchosen outcome measures not only allow the detection of meaningful change within individual studies, but also facilitate synthesis across trials (Brady et al., 2014). The development and implementation of a COS has the potential to improve the quality of aphasia treatment studies.

Moving Forward on Best Practices for Stroke and Aphasia: a Canadian KTE Initiative

### A Systematic Comparison of Different Techniques to Measure Clot Length in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Qazi, A1, 3 Eesa, M1, 2 Qazi, E1, 3 Goyal, M2, 1 Demchuk, A1, 4, 3 Menon, B1, 4, 3; 1. Calgary Stroke Program, Calgary, AB; 2. Department of Radiology, Calgary, AB; 3. University of Calgary, Calgary, AB; 4. Department of Neurology, Calgary, AB Introduction: Clot length on CT/CTA has been used to predict recanalization with thrombolytic treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS). We compared different techniques of measuring clot length on CT/CTA to identify the most reliable method. Methods: 4 1 patients with M1-MCA occlusions from INTERRSeCT, a prospective imaging based cohort study of AIS patients, were included. Hyperdense sign was measured on NCCT(5mm slice thickness). Clot length was measured on CTA at 3mm and 24mm-slices in the axial and coronal plane by:1) measuring the non-visualized segment of M1-MCA and 2) calculating ratio of residual lumen length within M1-MCA segment to length of contralateral patent M1-MCA segment. Two readers analyzed all images independently and were blinded to CTA when reading NCCT. Level of concordance between raters for each method was calculated using Cohen’s kappa for categorical variables and Intra-class Correlation Coefficient(ICC type2, single measure). A method has high inter-rater reliability if the level of concordance is high. Results: Measuring residual lumen ratio on CTA(3mm) is the most reliable technique for measuring clot length. Measuring length of hyperdense sign on NCCT is fairly reliable. Direct clot length measurements on CTA are only reliable if done on 24mm CTA slices using MIP. Conclusion: Reliability of clot length assessment and its interaction with treatment type in predicting recanalization depends on the type of imaging modality and technique used. CTA remains the best tool to measure clot length. ### New Approaches to Fast Stroke Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Yerly, J2 Lauzon, M1 Lebel, R3, 1 Sevick, RJ1 Barber, PA1 Frayne, …In order to compare research evidence and best practice recommendations with expressed needs of consumers, facilitators conducted 90 minute focus groups with: A national group of aphasia researchers, stroke thought leaders, and practitioners reviewed existing research inventories and BPGs from around the world. The group examined evidence sources and levels of evidence in order to identify gaps in evidence and priorities for knowledge translation. Background