Neurological Rehabilitation Unit Research Articles

Robotic exoskeleton-assisted gait training in patients with motor incomplete myelopathy

Objectives: To assess the effect of gait training with robotic exoskeleton-assisted rehabilitation systems on gait parameters, balance, and overall disability in motor incomplete myelopathy. Design: Prospective pre-post study. Setting: Neurological rehabilitation unit in a tertiary university teaching hospital. Participants: Thirty-four motor incomplete myelopathy patients [22 males, mean age 36.7 y (12.7)] were included in this prospective, pre-post study. Twenty-two had nontraumatic etiology, and 17 had tetraplegia. American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale suggested 23 as C and 11 as American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale-D. The mean duration of the lesion was 333 days. Intervention: Twenty-four sessions of robotic gait training (1-h session, 5–6 sessions/wk) for 4–6 weeks. Outcome measures: Gait speed was assessed using a 10-meter walk test (10MWT), endurance with a 2-minute walk test (2MWT) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT), walking ability by Walking Index in Spinal Cord Injury-walking index for spinal cord injury II, functionality using Spinal cord Independence Measure-SCIM III, and balance by Timed-up-and-go (TUG) test. Results: At baseline, 20 patients were nonwalkers-NWB, and 14 were walkers-WB. The walking index for spinal cord injury II and SCIM III suggested significant improvement in both groups by the end of the study (P<0.05). Among the WB group, 10MWT, 2MWT, and TUG showed significant improvement (P=0.004, 0.02, and 0.01, respectively) with training. Patients in NWB group were able to perform 10MWT, 2MWT, 6MWT, and TUG by the end of the study. Conclusions: Gait training with robotic exoskeleton-assisted rehabilitation systems can lead to a significant improvement in gait endurance, speed, balance, and functional outcomes in individuals with incomplete myelopathy. The effect is more pronounced among already ambulatory patients.

CSP2023: 504 - Exploring the key barriers to achieving Upper limb (UL) rehabilitation intensity at Intermediate Neurological Rehabilitation Unit (INRU) and ways to improve this in the future.

CSP2023: 504 - Exploring the key barriers to achieving Upper limb (UL) rehabilitation intensity at Intermediate Neurological Rehabilitation Unit (INRU) and ways to improve this in the future.

Feasibility of high-frequency percussions in people with severe acquired brain injury and tracheostomy: an observational study.

People with severe acquired brain injury (pwSABI) frequently experience pulmonary complications. Among these, atelectasis can occur as a result of pneumonia, thus increasing the chance of developing acute respiratory failure. Respiratory physiotherapy contribution to the management of atelectasis in pwSABI is yet poorly understood. We conducted a retrospective analysis on 15 non-cooperative pwSABI with tracheostomy and spontaneously breathing, hospitalized and treated with high-frequency percussion physiotherapy between September 2018 and February 2021 at the Neurological Rehabilitation Unit of the IRCCS "S.Maria Nascente - Fondazione Don Gnocchi", Milan. Our primary aim was to investigate the feasibility of such a physiotherapy intervention method. Then, we assessed changes in respiratory measures (arterial blood gas analysis and peripheral night-time oxygen saturation) and high-resolution computed tomography lung images, evaluated before and after the physiotherapy treatment. The radiological measures were a modified radiological atelectasis score (mRAS) assigned by two radiologists, and an opacity score automatically provided by the software CT Pneumonia Analysis® that identifies the regions of abnormal lung patterns. Treatment diaries showed that all treatments were completed, and no adverse events during treatment were registered. Among the 15 pwSABI analyzed, 8 were treated with IPV® and 7 with MetaNeb®. After a median of 14 (I-III quartile=12.5-14.5) days of treatment, we observed a statistical improvement in various arterial blood gas measures and peripheral night-time oxygen saturation measures. We also found radiological improvement or stability in more than 80% of pwSABI. In conclusion, our physiotherapy approach was feasible, and we observed respiratory parameters and radiological improvements. Using technology to assess abnormal tomographic patterns could be of interest to disentangle the short-term effects of respiratory physiotherapy on non-collaborating people.

The acute effect of cervical mobilization on balance in patients with multiple sclerosis: a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial

ABSTRACTThe cervical region plays an important role in providing proprioceptive and vestibular input to the postural control system. Objective. To investigate the effect of cervical mobilization on balance in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Methods. The study was undertaken at the neurological rehabilitation unit with 36 MS participants who were assigned randomly to the study (n = 18) and control group (n = 18). While the study group received a single session of 15 minutes of cervical and soft tissue mobilization, no intervention was applied to the control group to investigate the learning effect of the assessment. Patients were evaluated using Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) (Sensory Organization Test (SOT), Limits of Stability (LoS), and Adaptation Test (ADT)), which reflects postural stability. Results. In the study group, a treatment effect was found on the vestibular ratio (VEST) score (p < 0.001) and the composite score of SOT (p = 0.002). Improvements were achieved in all parameters of the LoS and ADT in the study group. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of CDP results in the control group. Conclusion. Cervical mobilization has beneficial effects on balance in MS patients. Our findings support that cervical mobilization can be included in MS balance rehabilitation programs.

Assessment of Mobility in Working Age Stroke Patients during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract Aim. Early neurological rehabilitation is essential to regain functional efficiency and achieve an optimal level of independence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the work was to assess the functional performance of patients of working age after hemorrhagic or ischemic brain stroke admitted to the neurological rehabilitation unit and to assess additional factors aff ecting the eff ectiveness of neurological rehabilitation. Material and methods. The study group included 89 patients admitted to the neurological rehabilitation unit. The eligibility criterion for the treatment group was the age of 25-55 years (professionally active people) and the suff ered hemorrhagic or ischemic brain stroke. The functional performance assessment was performed using the Barthel Index and the NHPT (Nine Hole Peg Test) test. Socio-demographic data were obtained from the analysis of medical records. The survey was conducted on the fi rst and last day of stay. Results. There was a signifi cant impact of age on the type of stroke, with people with an ischemic stroke being indeed statistically older than those with hemorrhagic stroke (50± 5 years), compared to those with hemorrhagic stroke (46± 8 years). It has been established that the time spent in a unit is dependent on the age of the patient, the older the patient the longer the hospitalization lasts. The tests assessing the functionality of the hands have showed statistically signifi cant improvements in the study group. It has been demonstrated that the improvement of functional performance depended on gender. People with diabetes performed statistically worse (Me=28 vs. Me=21). Conclusions. 1. Older people after stroke need more time to rehabilitate. 2. There is a need for more rehabilitation in people with diabetes. 3. Longer rehabilitation for men is advisable regardless of the type of stroke.

Evaluating the current practice of therapeutic positioning in neurological rehabilitation: a qualitative interview study

Background/Aims Therapeutic positioning is believed to enable the achievement of a good postural alignment, optimise rehabilitation and prevent the complications of immobility. It is considered important in the management of people with physical neurological impairments, but achieving a favourable position in a bed can be challenging. There is little evidence to inform present practice. Therefore, this study explored staff views and experiences of bed positioning practice on a regional neurological rehabilitation unit. Methods Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were completed with a purposive sample of nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists working on a neurological rehabilitation unit. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results A total of 12 participants completed an interview and six themes were identified relating to positioning practice. An interaction of four of these themes (patient needs, staff role, communication and knowledge) influenced a fifth theme of staff experiences. The sixth theme of practical positioning resources identified a pattern of resource use within current practice. Conclusions Positioning was recognised as integral to rehabilitation, and staff experiences were influenced by the interaction of a range of factors. The participants’ views and experiences around practical positioning resources provide a valuable new insight into positioning practice. Further research is needed to evaluate these resources.

Mitigating impact of neurological rehabilitation unit decommissioning

Most inpatient rehabilitation services enjoy deep connections with their local communities. Therefore, decommissioning services often results in resentment and risks, which are shared by patients, clinicians and communities the unit serves. In this comment article, we discuss our experience dealing with the closure of a popular local neurological rehabilitation unit and how we tried not just to safeguard our patients but also to take the opportunity to further develop and improve our patients’ experience.

Healthcare worker burnout during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: experiences from an intensive neurological rehabilitation unit.

The study aim was to investigate the prevalence of behavioral symptoms and burnout in healthcare workers in an intensive neurological rehabilitation unit in Messina, Italy, during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Forty-seven healthcare workers (including neurologists, physiatrists, nurses and rehabilitation therapists) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from February 2020 to June 2020. Participants were administered the following psychometric tests to investigate burnout and related symptoms: the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which measures emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment; the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS); the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS); the Dyadic Adjustment Scale; and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). We found several correlations between test scores and burnout subdimensions. Emotional exhaustion was correlated with SDS (r = 0.67), PSAS-Cognitive (r = 0.67) and PSAS-Somatic (r = 0.70) scores, and moderately correlated with all BPAQ dimensions (r = 0.42). Depersonalization was moderately correlated with SDS (r = 0.54), PSAS-Cognitive (r = 0.53) and PSAS-Somatic (r = 0.50) scores. During the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy, healthcare workers were more exposed to physical and mental exhaustion and burnout. Research evaluating organizational and system-level interventions to promote psychological well-being at work for healthcare workers are needed.

Psychological experiences of patients recovering from severe COVID-19 in rehabilitation: A qualitative study.

The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of post-sedation COVID-19 patients in rehabilitation. Eleven Israeli men and women were interviewed in semi-structured interviews. They were patients recovering in a neurological rehabilitation unit from severe COVID-19 post-mechanical ventilation and sedation. Five themes were generated through thematic analysis: "an unexpected turn of events," "filling the gaps," "emotional reactions," "ambiguity regarding medical condition," and "sense and meaning-making." Findings suggest a need for improved communication between patients and medical staff to enhance a sense of control and coherence. Psychological support should be considered to facilitate sense and meaning-making processes during hospitalization.

Lower respiratory tract infections due to multi‑drug resistant pathogens in central nervous system injuries (Review).

Pneumonia is one of the most prevalent infections in the intensive care unit (ICU), where pneumonia may occur during hospitalization in the ICU as a complication. ICU patients with central nervous system (CNS) injuries are not an exception, and they may even be more susceptible to infections such as pneumonia due to issues such as swallowing difficulties, the requirement for mechanical ventilation, and extended hospital stay. Numerous common CNS injuries, such as ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hemorrhage, can prolong hospital stay and increase the risk of pneumonia. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms are a common and significant concern, with increased mortality in nosocomial pneumonia. However, research on pneumonia due to MDR pathogens in patients with CNS injuries is limited. The aim of the present review was to provide the current evidence regarding pneumonia due to MDR pathogens in patients with CNS injuries. The prevalence of pneumonia due to MDR pathogens in CNS injuries differs among different settings, types of CNS injuries, geographical areas, and time periods in which the studies were performed. Specific risk factors for the emergence of pneumonia due to MDR pathogens have been identified in ICUs and neurological rehabilitation units. Antimicrobial resistance is currently a global issue, although using preventive measures, early diagnosis, and close monitoring of MDR strains may lessen its impact. Since there is a lack of information on these topics, more multicenter prospective studies are required to offer insights into the clinical features and outcomes of these patients.

Influence of Acupuncture and Other Clinical Factors on the Recovery of Limb Motor Function in Patients After Stroke: A Retrospective Study.

Limb motor disorders after stroke are very common, and the clinical related factors of improving limb motor function are still unclear. As a part of comprehensive rehabilitation strategy, acupuncture has been widely used in rehabilitation after stroke in China. But more evidence is needed for the influence of acupuncture and some other clinical factors on post-stroke motor disorders. A retrospective study was conducted using the database of patients with post-stroke motor disorders admitted to the Neurological Rehabilitation Unit of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The included patients were grouped according to whether NIHSS improved or muscle strength improved. The positive logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of possible NIHSS improvement. Combined with the influencing factors of NIHSS improvement and muscle strength improvement, the influencing factors of limb motor function recovery after stroke were obtained. When analyzing the baseline of the included patients, it was found that patients with NIHSS improvement had earlier acupuncture intervention time (M, (IQR):13.5 (14), OR=0.716, 95% CI [0.591-0.869], p=0.001), more cumulative acupuncture treatment times (M,(IQR):29 (12), OR=0.744, 95% CI [0.608-0.910], p=0.004), and less hypertension history (OR=0.256, 95% CI [0.082-0.801], p=0.019). Smoking history only has positive significance in univariate and multivariate analysis of NIHSS, not muscle strength (OR=0.274, 95% CI [0.097-0.779], p=0.015). The earlier acupuncture intervention and the more cumulative acupuncture treatment times are, the more beneficial the limb function of stroke patients with motor disorders will be. The previous history of hypertension is the influencing factor of limb motor function not improving in patients with limb motor disorder after a stroke. The effect of smoking history on limb movement function of patients with limb motor disorder after stroke needs further study.

Occurrence of Urinary Tract Infections and Physical Functioning in Patients After Stroke

Introduction: The majority of brain strokes result in a reduction of physical functioning and remain a major cause of disability. Post-stroke rehabilitation aims to improve physical functioning of patients who have suffered from stroke. Infections, including those of the urinary tract (UTI), are complications of stroke that occur in patients who undergo physical therapy at stationary departments of neurological rehabilitation and may significantly influence its effectiveness. Study aim: The main objective of the study is to assess the relationship between the UTI and physical functioning in patients after stroke, and the relationship between prevalence of UTIs and the results of rehabilitation in post-stroke patients. Material and methods: An observational case-control study was conducted, with a natural selection into the study groups according to the prevalence of UTI. Data was collected from the medical records of all stroke patients rehabilitated at the inpatient Neurological Rehabilitation Department of ORNR “Krzeszowice” in Krzeszowice during the period from 01 Jan. 2012 to 31 Dec. 2014. The study included 400 patients. Physical functioning was assessed using the Barthel and Rankin scales. Results. UTI occurred in 37.5% of patients. In the univariate analysis, the occurrence of UTIs was associated with worse physical functioning at admission and discharge. After adjustment to the influence of gender, age, side and type of stroke, the time since discharge from the stroke unit, the presence of diabetes and use urinary catheter, better physical functioning at admission to the neurological rehabilitation unit was inversely related to the occurrence of UTI (according to the Barthel scale: OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.85-0.94); according to the Rankin scale: OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.33-2.32). At discharge, after adjustment for: influence of physical functioning at admission to the ward and other confounding factors, the occurrence of UTI was not significantly correlated with the physical functioning of patients. During hospitalisation, physical functioning improved in both groups, but among the group of patients with UTI, the dynamics of the change was significantly greater than in patients without UTI. Conclusions. In stroke patients referred to inpatient neurological rehabilitation, UTIs are a common complication. The occurrence of UTI was associated with decreased physical functioning at admission to the department, but in patients with UTI, more dynamic improvement in physical functioning was found during rehabilitation. The incidence of UTI was not related to physical functioning at discharge from the ward.

Rehabilitation outcomes in patients with post-COVID-19 vaccine-associated Guillain-Barre syndrome.

With COVID-19 vaccination campaign worldwide, associated Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is being increasingly reported from different countries. The objectives of the study were to observe the clinical profile and rehabilitation outcomes in patients with post-COVID-19 vaccine-associated GBS. This prospective study was conducted in neurological rehabilitation unit with in-patients. A detailed customized rehabilitation program was formulated based on the clinical status and associated complications. Outcome measures were documented on the day of admission and at discharge and compared. The study included 16 patients (eight males) of which 15 (93.75%) received the CoviShield (AstraZeneca) and 1 Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) vaccine. The median (IQR) duration of first symptom was 9 (18.25) days and for motor symptoms 18 (12.75) days. Functional improvement was observed in patients using Barthel index scores and Hughes disability scores and overall neuropathy limitation scale. All rehabilitation outcomes showed a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05) from the time of admission to discharge. At discharge, complete independence in activities of daily living was achieved in 4 (25%) patients and 5 (31.25%) were minimally dependent. Three (18.75%) patients were walking independently, seven (43.75%) with minimal support, and four with walker (25%). Nine (56.25%) patients needed bilateral ankle-foot orthosis and two bilateral knee gaiters for locomotion. Comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation interventions in patients with post-COVID-19 vaccine-associated GBS result in significant functional recovery.

Decannulation Timing is an Expression of Neurological Recovery Time: The Need to Define a Performance within a Time Frame

Introduction: The factors that influence the likelihood of tracheostomy tube weaning in patients with severe acquired brain injury (sABI) are fairly well known, and recently it has been pointed out that improving swallowing and cough resistance are among the most important. What has not yet been focused on is the “passage of time” factor and how much it affects weaning opportunities. Objective: With this study, we wanted to analyze how the probability of decannulation varies over time, consistent with neurological improvement. Method: We examined the tracheostomy database of our neurological rehabilitation unit, which reports data from 359 patients with sABI, hospitalized between 2000 and 2012, and all carriers of tracheostomy tube upon admission. The sample was divided into two groups based on the time gap between the acute event and admission to rehabilitation, an Early Group = 60 days and a Late Group &gt; 60 days. The probability of decannulation, both overall and subdivided by groups, was then evaluated. Results: The E-Group showed better functional scores at discharge and a better percentage of decannulation compared with the L-Group. The differences were statistically significant, but later decannulations were not unusual: 12% late weanings versus 88% earlier. The probability of decannulation increases over time and is a factor dependent on the degree of neurological and functional recovery. It is of primary importance to consider these aspects when making comparisons between different centers, defining a product standard or performing benchmarking analyses. Conclusions: The rehabilitative prognosis for decannulation can be reliably judged only after a suitable and well-defined period of time, because the probability of tube weaning has been shown to be strongly dependent on the amount of time that passes. This study also showed that effective decannulations can be achieved even more than 6 months after the acute event, although with significantly lower probabilities.

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in an inpatient post-acute care facility: Impact on time to functional recovery.

The carriage of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) might lengthen the time to functional recovery (TTFR) for inpatients in post-acute care (PAC) units. We aimed to assess the impact of CPE carriage on TTFR in a PAC facility. This 2-year retrospective cohort study included 20 CPE-positive patients and 54 CPE-negative patients admitted to 3 PAC units (general, orthopaedic and neurological rehabilitation units) in a teaching hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. Potential risk factors and demographic data were collected from patients' medical records, the French national hospital discharge database, and the hospital's CPE surveillance database. Functional recovery was defined as the median difference in functional independence measure (FIM) between admission and discharge from each unit. Survival analysis and multiple Cox regression models were used to predict the TTFR and identify factors associated with functional recovery. The overall median [interquartile range] TTFR was 50 days [36-66]. Longer median TTFR was associated with CPE carriage (63 vs 47 days in the CPE-negative group; adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.35, 95% CI 0.13-0.97) and presence of a peripheral venous catheter (aHR 3.51, 1.45-8.46); shorter TTFR was associated with admission to an orthopaedic versus general rehabilitation unit (aHR 3.11, 1.24-7.82). CPE carriage in inpatient PAC facilities was associated with long TTFR. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms involved in these adverse events and to identify possible preventive measures.

Application of an EMG-Rehabilitation Robot in Patients with Post-Coronavirus Fatigue Syndrome (COVID-19)-A Feasibility Study.

This pilot study aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of an EMG-driven rehabilitation robot in patients with Post-Viral Fatigue (PVF) syndrome after COVID-19. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups (IG—intervention group and CG—control group) in an inpatient neurological rehabilitation unit. Both groups were assessed on admission and after six weeks of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation was carried out six days a week for six weeks. The patients in the IG performed additional training using an EMG rehabilitation robot. Muscle fatigue was assessed using an EMG rehabilitation robot; secondary outcomes were changes in hand grip strength, Fatigue Assessment Scale, and functional assessment scales (Functional Independence Measure, Barthel Index). Both groups improved in terms of the majority of measured parameters comparing pre- and post-intervention results, except muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue scores presented non-significant improvement in the IG and non-significant deterioration in the CG. Using an EMG rehabilitation robot in patients with PVF can be feasible and safe. To ascertain the effectiveness of such interventions, more studies are needed, particularly involving a larger sample and also assessing the participants’ cognitive performance.

Somatic Development Disorders in Children and Adolescents Affected by Syndromes and Diseases Associated with Neurodysfunction and Hydrocephalus Treated/Untreated Surgically.

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the co-occurrence of hydrocephalus treated/untreated surgically and congenital nervous system disorders or neurological syndromes with symptoms visible since childhood, and with somatic development disorders, based on significant data obtained during admission to a neurological rehabilitation unit for children and adolescents. Methods: The study applied a retrospective analysis of data collected during hospitalization of 327 children and adolescents, aged 4–18 years, all presenting congenital disorders of the nervous system and/or neurological syndromes associated with at least one neurodysfunction that existed from early childhood. To allow the identification of individuals with somatic development disorders in the group of children and adolescents with hydrocephalus treated/untreated surgically, the adopted criteria considered the z-score values for body height, body weight, head circumference, body mass index, and head circumference index. Results: Treated/untreated hydrocephalus was observed in the study group at the rates of 8% and 0.9%, respectively. Among 239 patients with cerebral palsy, 9 (3.8%) had surgically treated hydrocephalus, 17 (70.8%) of 24 patients with neural tube defects also had hydrocephalus treated with surgery, and 3 (12.5%) of 24 patients with neural tube defects had untreated hydrocephalus. This medical condition was a more frequent comorbidity in subjects with neural tube defects compared with those with cerebral palsy (p < 0.001). Subjects with untreated hydrocephalus most frequently presented macrocephaly (p < 0.001), including absolute macrocephaly (p = 0.001), and with tall stature (p = 0.007). Excessive body mass co-occurred more frequently with surgically untreated hydrocephalus, but the relationship was not statistically significant (p = 0.098). Conclusions: Surgically treated hydrocephalus occurred in patients with cerebral palsy and neural tube defects, and untreated hydrocephalus was present only in patients with neural tube defects. Untreated hydrocephalus negatively changed the course of individual development in the studied group of children, in contrast to surgically treated hydrocephalus.

Correction for potentially inappropriate prescribing can increase specificity when using drug prescriptions as an adjunct to diagnostic codes to assess comorbidities in older patients

&#x0D; Background: Comorbidities are a growing problem in older patients in many clinical settings, but electronic records may give an unsatisfactory picture of this complexity. Analysis of drug prescriptions can add further diagnostic information to that gathered from billing diagnostic codes, but the risk exhists that potentially inappropriate prescriptions may lead to over-estimating comorbidities.&#x0D; Methods: We analysed the administrative records and drug prescriptions of the 304 patients discharged during 2016 from a neurological rehabilitation unit. International Classification of Diseases – 9th revision diagnostic codes were matched with prescriptions at discharge, coded according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification. The codes of the prescriptions not explained by the diagnostic codes were recorded, grouped, corrected for potential inappropriate prescribing, and analysed.&#x0D; Results: Of the 304 patients, 295 had at least one prescribed drug not inferable from their diagnostic codes. The mean number of these prescriptions was 3.5 ± 1.9 per patient, and that of prescriptions remaining after correction for potentially inappropriate prescribing was 2.0 ± 1.5. The more frequent groups of potentially inappropriate medications were anti-acids, psychotropic drugs, laxatives, potassium supplements, cardiovascular drugs and lipid modifying agents. Administrative databases underestimate the complexity of older patients in neurological rehabilitation wards. More reliable data can be obtained by adding the analysis of drug prescriptions, but correction for potentially inappropriate prescription seems necessary to avoid an over-estimation of comorbidities.&#x0D;

A service evaluation of a specialist intensive multi-disciplinary inpatient neurological rehabilitation unit: Hobbs Rehabilitation at Bramshott Grange

A service evaluation of a specialist intensive multi-disciplinary inpatient neurological rehabilitation unit: Hobbs Rehabilitation at Bramshott Grange

Prognostic value of balance performance for improvements of community ambulation among stroke patients: a cohort study.

Despite the positive impact of improving the level of community ambulation among stroke patients, little prognostic research has focused on this indicator. To investigate the prognostic value of the side-by-side, semi-tandem, and tandem standing balance positions and the five-sit-stand (5STS) test for discriminating patients undergoing physical rehabilitation who improve level of functional ambulation and predicting transition time. A cohort study with assessments repeated monthly until discharge for classifying patients in a community ambulation class. A neurological rehabilitation unit of a hospital in Spain. A consecutive sample of 109 stroke patients (68.5±12.0 years) was screened and included within four months post stroke. Of them no one refused, 3 died, and 5 were lost earlier to transition or discharge. Balance tests, the 5STS and gait speed were measured at the center at baseline and monthly until discharge. Transition from household or limited community ambulation to a higher ambulatory capacity or class. Area under the curve (AUC) were used to compare discriminative abilities of the tests and Cox regression analysis to evaluate the association between the tests and time of transition. For household non-ambulators, the semi-tandem was the best discriminative test (AUC=0.850) and the three balance tests showed an association with time to transition. Among the limited community ambulators, the 5STS test also revealed discriminative ability (AUC: 0.822 [0.63-1.00]), with a good prognostic cut-off (14.8 seconds) and association with time to transition (Hazard Ratio: 1.22; 95%CI: 1.05-1.43). Semi-tandem and the 5STS tests can discriminate patients who improve level of functional ambulation and predict transition times within three months in non-ambulators and limited community ambulation patients, respectively. The semi-tandem and the 5STS tests can be performed easily in clinical settings to predict improvement of functional ambulation level in patients following stroke.