Article

This retrospective cohort study identified inpatient rehabilitation
admission variables that predict walking ability at discharge and established
Berg Balance Scale cut-off scores to predict the extent of improvement in
walking. METHODS: Participants (n=123) were assessed for various cognitive and
physical outcomes at admission to inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Multivariate
logistic regression identified admission predictors of regaining community
ambulation (gait speed >/=0.8 m/s) or unassisted ambulation (no physical
assistance) after 4 weeks. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis
identified cut-off admission Berg Balance Scale scores.
RESULTS: Mini-Mental
State Examination (odds ratio (OR) 1.60, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)
1.19-2.14) was a significant predictor when coupled with admission walking speed
for regaining community ambulation speed; stroke type (haemorrhagic/ischaemic)
was a significant predictor (OR=0.19, 95% CI 0.05-0.77) when coupled with Berg
Balance Scale (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.09-1.20). Only Berg Balance Scale was a
significant predictor of regaining unassisted ambulation
(OR 1.11, 95% CI
1.05-1.17). A cut-off Berg Balance Scale score of 29 on admission predicts that
an individual will go on to achieve community walking speed (n=123, area under
the curve (AUC)=0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.95); a cut-off score of 12 predicts a
non-ambulator to regain unassisted ambulation (n=84, AUC 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.84).
CONCLUSION: The Berg Balance Scale can be used at rehabilitation admission to
predict the degree of improvement in walking for patients with stroke.

Langue : ANGLAIS