title: Length of stay of stroke rehabilitation inpatients: prediction through the functional independence measure.
abstract: A model for prediction of length of stay (LOS, in days) of stroke rehabilitation inpatients was developed, based on patients' age (years) and function at admission (scored on the Functional Independence Measure, FIMSM). One hundred and twenty-nine cases, consecutively admitted to three free-standing rehabilitation centres in Italy, were analyzed. A multiple linear regression using forward stepwise selection procedure was adopted. Median admission and discharge scores were: 57 and 75 for the total FIM score, 29 and 48 for the 13-item motor FIM subscore, 29 and 30 for the 5-item cognitive FIM subscore (potential range: 18-126, 13-91, 5-35, respectively). Median LOS was 44 days (interquartile range 30-62). The logLOS predictive model included three FIM items ("toilet transfer", TTr; "social interaction"; "expression") and patient's age (R2 = 0.48). TTr alone explained 31.3% of the variance of logLOS. These results are consistent with previous American studies, showing that FIM scores at admission are strong predictors of patients' LOS, with the transfer items having the greatest predictive power.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Fisiatria Occupazionale ed Ergonomia, Centro Medico di Riabilitazione di Veruno, Fondazione Salvatore, Maugeri, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franchignoni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tesio
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benevolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castagna
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index