Stroke Research in the Elderly: Addressing Ageism and Prognostication

About this Research Topic

Background

Despite the increasing representation of old and very old stroke patients, there is little information on the prevalence and impact of ageism in stroke research. Ageism, defined here as biases or age-related preconceptions, can severely skew the understanding and treatment of stroke by simplifying frailty and reduced physiological reserves to mere functions of age. Such misconceptions propagate outdated models where age alone predicts poorer outcomes, thereby neglecting thorough risk factor identification. This oversight could compromise the care and outcomes of the demographic most susceptible to stroke, the very elderly.

The primary focus of existing stroke research has centered on adults between 18 and 75 years, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of the specific health and pathophysiological background of those over 75. This oversight complicates the evaluation, prognosis, and management of stroke in the very old, potentially leading to suboptimal care strategies. Rectifying this involves reformatting classification and prognostication tools to better address the intricate pathophysiological landscapes of older patients. This research topic will explore advancements in methodological approaches to improve stroke management in our aging population.

Our Research Topic aims at highlighting the most recent findings investigating preconception and age-related bias in stroke research. This collection will provide a spotlight on innovative strategies to predict and manage stroke in the very old population and help with people stratification for individualized strategies of stroke prevention and treatment in the very old.

This Research Topic welcomes the submission of any type of manuscript supported by the journal (including Original Research, Review, etc.) pertaining but not limited to the following themes:
- The precision and applicability of severity tools or scales for the elderly (NIHSS, ICH score, and others)
- The sensitivity and specificity of ischemic stroke etiological classifications in very old patients: Trial of Org 10172 in acute stroke treatment (TOAST), the causative classification system Atherosclerosis, Small-vessel disease, Cardiac source, Other cause (ASCO)
- The role of age-specific factors (such as comorbidities and frailty) in influencing both acute and long-term stroke outcomes
- Novel biomarkers that accurately predict the outcomes specific to very old stroke patients

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Methods, stroke, research, ageism, late elderly

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