title: Improved functions and reduced length of stay after inpatient rehabilitation programs in older adults with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  to examine the effects of inpatient rehabilitation programs on function and length of stay in older adults with strokeMETHODS: A total of five electronic databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of inpatient rehabilitation programs on functional recovery, as measured by the functional independence measure and length of stay, which was measured in days. We included full-text articles written in English, and no time limit. The methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale and the Cochrane collaboration tools respectively. The effect sizes and confidence intervals were estimated using fixed-effect modelsRESULTS: Eight randomized controlled trials involving 1,910 patients with stroke were included in the meta-analysis showed that patients who participated in the inpatient rehabilitation programs had significantly (p less than 0.05) higher functional independence measure scores (effect size = 0.10; 95 percent confidence interval = 0.01, 0.22) and shorter length of stay (effect size = 0.14; 95 percent confidence interval = 0.03, 0.22).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This systematic review provided evidence that inpatient rehabilitation programs have beneficial effects, improving functionality and reducing length of stay for older adults with stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saad M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bindawas
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vennu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.|Department of Rehabilitation, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moftah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends*; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000639:trends; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*
keywords: Stroke; length of stay; rehabilitation