Berg balance scale and outcome measures in acquired brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) to outcome after acquired brain injury.


METHODS
Forty consecutive patients with acquired brain injury were admitted for multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Patients were assessed with the BBS. The BBS was originally designed as a quantitative measure of balance and risk for falls in community-dwelling elderly patients. The BBS comprises 14 different tasks graded on a 56-point scale. Community-dwelling elders with a BBS score of < or = 42 have > 90% risk for falls.


RESULTS
In our study, there were 27 patients with a low BBS score (< or = 42) and 13 patients with a high BBS score (> or = 43). The discharge total Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores were lower in the low BBS patients (96.4 +/- 21.2) compared with the high BBS patients (111.5 +/- 12.5) (p < 0.007). The length of stay (LOS) was significantly longer in the low BBS patients (38.9 +/- 18.5 days) compared with the high BBS patients (14.2 +/- 6.1 days; p < 0.000). Among the three patients that experienced falls during their hospitalization, all exhibited low BBS scores. The admission BBS score strongly correlated with admission total FIM scores (r = 0.86; p < 0.000) and moderately correlated with discharge total FIM scores (r = 0.56; p < 0.000) and LOS (r = -0.55; p < 0.000). Using a multiple regression analysis, the admission FIM score was found to be the better predictor of discharge FIM scores, and time admitted after injury was the better predictor of LOS.


CONCLUSIONS
Prediction of rehabilitative outcome might be enhanced by the use of the BBS scores in combination with other clinical measures on admission to inpatient acute rehabilitation.
Feld
J A
JA
Brain Injury Program, The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, White Plains, NY 10605, USA.
Rabadi
M H
MH
Blau
A D
AD
Jordan
B D
BD
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index