Trends in outpatient rehabilitation use for stroke survivors.

BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors with residual disabling deficits who are medically stable may be recommended for acute rehabilitation or outpatient therapy, depending partly on the severity of their deficits. Here we sought to determine if the location at which patients needing rehabilitation post-stroke has shifted from inpatient to an outpatient setting. METHODS: For analysis, we used our Institutional Review Board-approved Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Database to study stroke survivors discharged to receive either inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation services between 2014 and 2019. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify clinical factors associated with discharge type. Cochran-Armitage trend analysis was used to assess differences in rehabilitation services used over time. RESULTS: A total of 3293 patients were included. Trend analysis demonstrated a significant increase over time in the proportion of patients needing rehabilitation being discharged home with rehabilitation services (P < 0.0001). In addition, older age was associated with discharge to inpatient rehabilitation (OR = 1.018, 95%CI, 1.011-1.026), as was a higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (OR = 1.149, 95%CI, 1.130-1.168). CONCLUSIONS: We found that home discharges increased, highlighting outpatient rehabilitation as an expanding healthcare resource for reducing stroke-associated disability in adults.

Benefits of an interdisciplinary stroke clinic: addressing a gap in physical therapy at post-stroke neurology follow-up.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: An interdisciplinary stroke clinic (ISC) can improve communication and identify people post-stroke who have not reached their full recovery potential. We describe the characteristics of participants who underwent physical therapy (PT) evaluation in addition to their outpatient neurology evaluation and identify the association of assessment scales that predicted referral for additional rehabilitation. METHODS: Participants' post-stroke seen in the ISC were included in the study. The PT evaluation included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Ten-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and Short Form-Stroke Impact Scale (SF-SIS). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with referral for additional rehabilitation. RESULTS: The study consisted of 148 participants with a mean age of 63 (SD ± 15) years; 58% were women and 76% were Whites. Additional rehabilitation was recommended for 59% of participants. In multivariate analysis, reduced speed on comfortable 10MWT (OR = 0.06; 95%CI = 0.01-0.51) and lower SF-SIS score (OR = 0.76; 95%CI = 0.66-0.87) were significantly associated with referral for additional PT or occupational therapy. CONCLUSION: A significant number of post-acute stroke survivors were found to be appropriate for additional rehabilitation when assessed clinically by a neurologic physical therapist in an ISC. The measures that most closely correlated with this in-person clinical evaluation were 10MWT and SF-SIS.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONAn interdisciplinary stroke clinic can improve communication and identify people post-stroke who have not reached their full recovery potential.In a pilot study, a significant number of post-acute stroke survivors were found to be appropriate for additional rehabilitation when assessed clinically by a neurologic physical therapist in an interdisciplinary stroke clinic.Reduced speed on comfortable Ten-Meter Walk Test and lower Short Form-Stroke Impact Scale scores were associated with referral for additional rehabilitation.

Sex and racial disparity in utilization and outcomes of t-PA and thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Racial/ethnic and sex disparity may occur in stroke throughout the continuum of care. Endovascular therapy (EVT) became standard of care in 2015 for eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We evaluated for racial and sex differences in t-PA and EVT utilization and outcomes in 2016 in the National Inpatient Sample. METHODS: Treatment rates for t-PA, EVT, and t-PA+EVT and outcomes including home discharge, in-hospital mortality and prolonged length of stay (pLOS) were evaluated by sex and race. Multivariate survey-logistic regression was performed to evaluate outcomes. RESULTS: The study had 468,630 patients - 49.3% men, 50.7% women; 69.3% whites, and 30.7% non-whites. There was no difference in treatment utilization by sex, women vs men for t-PA (7.65% vs 7.76%; aOR:1.02; 95% CI:0.97-1.07), EVT (1.74% vs 1.67%; aOR:1.09; 95% CI:0.99-1.20) and t-PA+EVT (0.57% vs 0.57%; aOR:1.01; 95% CI:0.85-1.21); and by race, non-white vs white for t-PA (7.62% vs 7.74%; aOR:0.98; 95% CI:0.93-1.05), EVT (1.62% vs 1.74%; aOR:0.91; 95% CI:0.78-1.07), and t-PA+EVT(0.59% vs 0.56%; aOR:1.05; 95% CI:0.84-1.30). Compared to men, women treated with t-PA had less home discharge (37.2% vs 46.3%; aOR:0.81; 95% CI:0.72-0.90), more in-hospital mortality (5.7% vs 3.9%; aOR:1.37; 95% CI:1.06-1.77) and less pLOS (8.3% vs 9.6%; aOR:0.82; 95% CI:0.69-0.98); women treated with EVT had less home discharge (15.8% vs 23.7%; aOR:0.69; 95% CI:0.52-0.91). Compared to whites, non-whites treated with t-PA had lower odds of home discharge (42.1% vs 41.6%; aOR:0.79; 95% CI:0.69-0.90), less in-hospital mortality (3.7% vs 5.3%; aOR:0.65; 95% CI:0.49-0.87), and higher pLOS (11.4% vs 7.9%; aOR:1.3; 95% CI:1.07-1.56); non-whites treated with EVT had less home discharge (18%vs 20.2%; aOR:0.70; 95% CI:0.51-0.97) and higher pLOS (35.1% vs 24%; aOR:1.52; 95% CI:1.16-1.99). CONCLUSION: Sex and racial disparity exists for outcomes of t-PA and EVT despite no difference in utilization rates.