Early and intensive rehabilitation predicts good functional outcomes in patients admitted to the stroke intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE
Earlier and more intense rehabilitation benefit stroke patients. Yet, studies have caution intensive therapy during acute brain injury. This study examined the rehabilitation commencement time and intensity as predictors of functional outcomes in acute stroke patients admitted to the stroke intensive care unit (ICU).


METHODS
Sociodemographic, medical, rehabilitative and functional data were collected on 154 acute stroke patients. Regression analyses were used to identify predictors for the basic activities of daily living (Barthel Index, BI) and the walking ability at discharge.


RESULTS
Rehabilitation commencement time and intensity significantly predicted the BI score at discharge after adjusting for initial severity (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, NIHSS) and age (p < 0.05). For the walking function at discharge, only the rehabilitation intensity was a significant predictor after adjusting for initial severity and age (p < 0.05). Furthermore, with increasing rehabilitation intensity, patients with severe stroke benefited more than those with moderate stroke.


CONCLUSIONS
Rehabilitation commencement time and intensity, after adjusting for admission functional status and severity of stroke, remained to be important predictors of stroke functional outcomes. This study supported the recommendation to commence rehabilitation early and intensively and provided evidence that this claim can be extended to acute stroke patients admitted to an ICU.
School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ming-Hsia
MH
Hu
Shu-Shyuan
SS
Hsu
Ping-Keung
PK
Yip
Jiann-Shing
JS
Jeng
Yen-Ho
YH
Wang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult