Association Between Toileting Independence and Higher Brain Functions in Post-Stroke Inpatients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

ObjectivesWe aimed to cross-sectionally examine and clarify the types of higher brain functions associated with toileting independence in post-stroke inpatients. Materials and methodsFrom November 2017 to October 2020, 51 participants were selected from a database of post-stroke inpatients in a Japanese hospital; the selected participants had missing data. The objective variable was the independence of toileting and toilet transfer in the Functional Independence Measure; independence was set at 6 points or more. The covariates were age, sex, and Berg balance scale score; the explanatory variables were higher brain functions of four items (forward digit span, visual cancelation task [VCT] correctness rate, symbol digit modalities test score, and Kohs block design test score). Logistic regression analysis was performed using multiple imputation and Bayesian modeling. ResultsVCT correctness rate was significantly associated with toileting independence in the best model selected (odds ratio 1.16; 95% credible interval 1.02, 1.49). ConclusionSelective attention (assessed by VCT correctness rate) may be associated with, and predict, toileting independence in post-stroke inpatients.