Unilateral spatial neglect: relation to rehabilitation outcomes in patients with right hemisphere stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation between left unilateral spatial neglect (USN) and rehabilitation outcomes in patients with right hemisphere stroke.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of a database of right hemisphere stroke patients.


METHODS
Acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital.


METHODS
Patients (N=175) with a diagnosis of right hemisphere stroke who had undergone a neuropsychologic screening including assessment of USN and depressive symptoms at time of admission to an inpatient rehabilitation program.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Functional status was evaluated with the FIM instrument at admission and discharge. The relationship between USN, depressive symptoms, cognitive functioning, length of stay (LOS), and rate of progress in rehabilitation was examined via univariate (correlational) and multivariate (Cox regression) analyses.


RESULTS
Patients with USN had longer LOS and progressed more slowly compared with those without USN. When matched against patients with equally poor functional status at admission, USN patients still had longer admissions and progressed more slowly.


CONCLUSIONS
USN is a unique predictor of rehabilitation outcomes in patients with right hemisphere stroke. Identification of those specific functional skill areas most affected by USN may make possible the development of targeted interventions aimed at these key areas.
Gillen
Robert
R
Department of Psychology, Sunnyview Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, Schenectady, NY 12308, USA.
Tennen
Howard
H
McKee
Tara
T
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010468:Perceptual Disorders; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome