Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Examination of follow-up therapy in patients with stroke.

Kuo YF, Ostir GV, Granger CV, Ottenbacher KJ

Sealy Center on Aging, Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77555-0460, USA.

OBJECTIVE: Examine the patterns and effect of follow-up therapy for persons with stroke. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of national inpatient medical rehabilitation facilities and follow-up survey data from 1994 to 2001. A total of 45,164 patients received inpatient medical rehabilitation after a stroke. The mean age (+/- standard deviation) was 69.5 (+/-12.8) yrs, 48% were women, and 77% were non-Hispanic white. Average length of stay was 21.9 (+/-14.2) days. RESULTS: The highest gain in FIM instrument ratings for follow-up therapy was associated with a discharge FIM rating of > or =65. Patients with FIM ratings > or =65 at discharge who received follow-up therapy gained an average of 19.4 points between discharge and follow-up assessment compared with a mean gain of 15.1 points for persons who did not receive follow-up therapy. Validity was examined using 100 bootstrap replications. The percentage of persons with FIM instrument scores of > or =65 receiving follow-up therapy increased from 38% in 1994 to 58% in 2001. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in postdischarge FIM gains between patients with and without follow-up therapy were greatest among patients with discharge FIM instrument ratings of > or =65. Compared with patients whose discharge FIM ratings were >65, patients with discharge FIM scores of > or =65 who underwent follow-up therapy demonstrated substantially greater average postdischarge FIM gains than those with FIM ratings of >65.

Published 28 February 2006 in Am J Phys Med Rehabil, 85(3): 192-200.
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