title: Determinants of rehabilitation outcome in geriatric patients admitted to skilled nursing facilities after stroke: a Dutch multi-centre cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to identify important demographic, clinical and functional determinants of successful discharge of geriatric patients from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), particularly the role of multi-morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  prospective cohort study with data collection at baseline and at discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  fifteen SNFs in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  of 378 eligible patients, 186 were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  multi-disciplinary teams recorded demographic and disease characteristics, as well as functional status, cognitive functioning and multi-morbidity on admission. The study outcomes were discharge to an independent living situation within 1 year of admission and functional status at discharge (Barthel index).
  
  
  RESULTS
  of the included 186 patients, 175 were followed up. Of these patients, 123 (70%) were successfully discharged. High Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Star Cancellation test (SCT) scores independently contributed to 48% of the variance of functional status at discharge, while low age, high BBS and SCT scores were independently related to successful discharge, explaining 33% of the variance. Multi-morbidity was not an independent determinant of rehabilitation outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  geriatric patients admitted for 'low intensity' rehabilitation in SNFs after stroke appeared to have a fair prognosis for being successfully discharged. Postural control was an important determinant of both outcome measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary and Community Care, Centre for Family Medicine, Geriatric Care and Public Health, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. m.spruit-vaneijk@elg.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spruit-van Eijk
authors.forename: Sytse U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Zuidema
authors.forename: Bianca I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Buijck
authors.forename: Raymond T C M
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Koopmans
authors.forename: Alexander C H
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Geurts
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome