Timing of Initiation of Acute Stroke Rehabilitation and Management Corresponding to Complications at Primary Stroke Centers in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Web-Based Questionnaire Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Many guidelines now recommend early rehabilitation for acute stroke patients. However, evidence remains lacking regarding the specific timings for initiation of various rehabilitation steps and management when complications are encountered in acute stroke rehabilitation. This survey aimed to investigate actual clinical situations in acute stroke rehabilitation in Japan and to improve the medical systems for rehabilitation and plan further studies. METHODS: This nationwide, cross-sectional, web-based questionnaire survey was administered between February 7, 2022, and April 21, 2022, targeting all primary stroke centers (PSCs) in Japan. Among several components of the survey, this paper focused on the timing of the initiation of three rehabilitation steps (passive bed exercise; head elevation; and out-of-bed mobilization), along with the management of rehabilitation (continued or suspended) in the event of complications during acute stroke rehabilitation. We also investigated the influence of facility features on these contents. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 639 of the 959 PSCs surveyed (response rate: 66.6%). In cases of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, most PSCs initiated passive bed exercise on day 1, head elevation on day 1, and out-of-bed mobilization on day 2 (with day of admission defined as day 1). In cases with subarachnoid hemorrhage, rehabilitation steps were delayed compared to other stroke subtypes or showed wide variation depending on the facility. Passive bed exercise was accelerated by the presence of protocols for rehabilitation and weekend rehabilitation. Out-of-bed mobilization was accelerated by the presence of a stroke care unit. Facilities with board-certified rehabilitation doctors were cautious regarding the initiation of head elevation. Most PSCs suspended rehabilitation training in the event of symptomatic systemic/neurological complications. CONCLUSION: Our survey revealed the actual situation of acute stroke rehabilitation in Japan and indicated that some facility features appear to influence early increases in physical activity levels and early mobilization. Our survey provides fundamental data to improve the medical systems for acute stroke rehabilitation in the future.

A nationwide survey for the provision of acute stroke rehabilitation in Japan: initial dose and weekend/holiday rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVES: The early initiation of acute stroke rehabilitation with a sufficient dose, including at weekends/holidays, is important to improve functional outcome. We investigated the status of acute stroke rehabilitation in Japan by using a nationwide survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Facility features, rehabilitation dose provided in the first week in each stroke subtype, and weekend/holiday rehabilitation were investigated by using the results of a web-based survey among primary stroke centers. The relationships between facility features and weekend/holiday rehabilitation were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 639 stroke centers (66.6%) completed the questionnaire. The overall median dose was 2.0 (interquartile range, 1.7-3.0) U/day (1U = 20 min). After 7 days, the overall median dose increased to 4.0 (2.0-5.4) U/day. Almost 50% of facilities replied that they could not provide a sufficient dose of rehabilitation; the main reason was a lack of therapists (31%). For rehabilitation on long weekends, no rehabilitation was provided on 3-day weekends in 19% of facilities, and in 5% of facilities on ≥4-day weekends. The mean number of therapists was almost 50% less in the facilities that provided no rehabilitation on 3-day weekends compared to those that provided daily rehabilitation (19.4 vs. 36.2 therapists, respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this survey, the provision of acute stroke rehabilitation, including non-working days, was clarified. According to the results, prospective interventional or observational studies are needed to design more effective rehabilitation programs to improve outcome. In particular, it is important to determine the optimal dose and intensity of acute stroke rehabilitation.

Addition of the nutrition factor enhances the cancer prehabilitation program design for colorectal cancer patients: a multi-center cohort study.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the interrelationship between different baseline functional capacity items, and their relationship with postoperative course in colorectal cancer patients. [Participants and Methods] This was a three-institution cohort study that included 127 patients scheduled for elective colorectal cancer surgery. Baseline functional capacity was evaluated using skeletal muscle index (SMI), six-minute walk test (6MWT), serum-albumin (Alb), vitality, and mental health before surgery. Postoperative findings, including C-reactive protein (CRP) levels 3 days post-operation, frequency of postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay (LOS), were evaluated based on the medical records. [Results] CRP was positively related to SMI, but negatively related to Alb level. LOS was negatively related to vitality. The 6MWT results and mental health-related findings were not significantly related to the postoperative course, but were directly and indirectly related to vitality, respectively. Alb level was also indirectly related to vitality through the 6MWT and mental health-related findings. The final constructed model demonstrated an acceptable fit to the data (goodness-of-fit index=0.958, adjusted goodness-of-fit index=0.930, comparative fit index=1.000, root mean square error of approximation=0.000). [Conclusion] Nutrition status, as measured by Alb level before surgery, may positively affect both the postoperative course and other functional capacity parameters.

Minimal clinically important difference in postoperative recovery among patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

PURPOSE: The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) based on patient-reported outcomes is the smallest outcome change sufficiently significant to influence management and is crucial to the design and interpretation of comparative effectiveness trials. The purpose of this study was to estimate the MCID for postoperative recovery metrics in gastrointestinal cancer patients. METHODS: This was a three-institutional cohort study. Participants were 219 patients scheduled for gastrointestinal cancer elective surgery. Body mass index (BMI), isometric knee extension torque (IKET), 6-min walk test (6 MWT), and Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) version 2 were evaluated 1-2 days prior to surgery (baseline) and 4 weeks after surgery. Patients received postoperative rehabilitative care from a physical therapist during hospitalization. The MCID used anchor-based methods. The anchor was a score on the SF-36 physical functioning subscale greater or lower than the average score of the general Japanese population. RESULTS: The receiver operating curve indicated a cutoff value on the 6 MWT of -7.8 m for clinically relevant decline (area under curve [AUC] = 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.599-0.741) or a 1.5% change. The cutoff value on the SF-36 role-physical subscale was -34.4 for clinically relevant decline (AUC = 0.691, 95% CI = 0.621-0.761) or a 36.6% decrease. No significant correlation was found between changes in BMI, IKET, and anchor. CONCLUSION: Plausible MCIDs are present in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. These values can assist the interpretation of clinical trials and observation of the postoperative clinical course of gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

Changes of cortico-cortical neural connections associated with motor functional recovery after stroke.

OBJECTIVES: During functional recovery after stroke, some neural connections in the brain are augmented and new neural networks are constructed to compensate for impaired neurological functions. Recently, it was reported that the extent of cortico-cortical neural connections can be estimated by correlation analysis based on electroencephalography (EEG). The purpose of this study was to investigate changes of correlation coefficients in the cerebral cortex with motor functional recovery after stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two post-stroke hemiparetic patients admitted to our rehabilitation ward (mean age at admission: 71.4 ± 12.9 years old), were studied. For the evaluation of hemiparesis, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) was applied. All subjects underwent EEG with electrodes placed according to the international 10-20 system for correlation analysis, on admission to our ward and 4 weeks after admission. EEG data were analyzed with the program software FOCUS (NIHON KOHDEN, Japan), and squared correlation coefficients in some cortico-cortical areas of the cerebral cortex were calculated. RESULTS: The correlation coefficients in some cortico-cortical areas of the lesional hemisphere, such as C3-F3 or C4-F4, C3-F7 or C4-F8, and F3-F7 or F4-F8, significantly increased with rehabilitation training. The change of the correlation coefficient in F3-F7 or F4-F8 and F7-T3 or F8-T4 in the lesional hemisphere was significantly correlated with the change of the upper-limb FMA. CONCLUSIONS: The augmentation of cortico-cortical connections, represented by an increase of the correlation coefficient in the lesional hemisphere, may contribute to motor functional recovery, especially in hemiparetic upper limbs, after stroke.

Factors that affect early postoperative health-related quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: a three-center cohort study.

[Purpose] In this study, we investigated the preoperative and early postoperative health-related quality of life in patients who underwent surgical treatment for gastrointestinal cancer and also the factors that affect postoperative health-related quality of life. [Participants and Methods] The study included 198 patients who underwent elective surgery for gastrointestinal cancer (129 males and 69 females, age: 65.4 ± 11.8 years). Health-related quality of life was evaluated using the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey version 2 at the following time points: 1-2 days preoperatively (baseline) and 4 weeks postoperatively. [Results] Compared with baseline levels, physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality, as well as physical, social, and emotional role functioning significantly decreased 4 weeks postoperatively. In contrast, compared with baseline levels, mental health significantly improved 4 weeks postoperatively. Physical functioning and general health evaluated 4 weeks postoperatively were significantly associated with income, baseline health-related quality of life, and the 6-minute walk test. [Conclusion] It is important to consider baseline income and health-related quality of life and increase postoperative exercise capacity to improve health-related quality of life in patients who undergo surgical treatment for gastrointestinal cancer.

Utility of the ability for basic movement scale II as a prediction method of ambulation ability in patients after the hip fracture surgery.

BACKGROUND: This study was to investigate whether the Ability for Basic Movement Scale II (ABMS II) at admission of the convalescent rehabilitation ward (CRW) could predict the ambulation ability in patients after hip fracture surgery. METHODS: The data of the ABMS II and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) of 118 postsurgical patients with hip fracture who were transferred to the CRW were retrospectively analyzed (mean age 82.7 ± 7.9, female/male: 89/29). Binary logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to investigate the predictive value of ABMS II for walking ability at discharge. RESULTS: Spearman's correlation analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlations between the ABMS II score at admission and FAC score at discharge (ρ = 0.70, P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that ABMS II and BMI can be the predictor in both FAC <4 or ≥4 groups. ROC analysis indicated that an optimal cutoff of 24.5 points of ABMS II score predicted independent walking ability (area under the Curve (AUC) 0.87, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ABMS II at admission in CRW can be a prediction method of ambulation recovery for the patients after hip fracture surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study.

Does pre-operative physical rehabilitation improve the functional outcomes of patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery?

[Purpose] This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-operative physical rehabilitation on the postoperative course of the patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing surgery. [Participants and Methods] A rehabilitation physician examined and educated 33 patients (42% of whom were male with a mean age of 65.2 ± 10.9 years) who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery for gastrointestinal cancer. They received instructions for performing exercise from a physical therapist 17.0 ± 7.3 days prior to surgery. We divided the participants into three groups (improvement, maintenance, and deterioration) based on the changes in their ability to walk prior to surgery. This study compared the results of the 6-min walk test, hospital anxiety and depression scale, and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 for the three groups at baseline, following rehabilitation prior to surgery, and 4 weeks following surgery. [Results] In the improvement group, the decrease in the ability to walk between the baseline and 4 weeks after surgery was not significant. Conversely, the deterioration group exhibited a significant decrease in the ability to walk 4 weeks after surgery. [Conclusion] Improvement in walking ability by rehabilitation training prior to surgery leads to the preservation of physical function in the patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing surgery.

Is the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation influenced by baseline severity of fatigue symptom in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Objectives: Recently, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been therapeutically applied for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). However, it is still unclear which clinical factors could influence the efficacy of rTMS for ME patients. The purpose of this study is to clarify whether baseline severity of fatigue symptom would influence the efficacy of rTMS applied for ME patients.Methods: Twenty-two patients with ME were studied. Each patient was hospitalized to receive 6-8 sessions of rTMS. In this study, high-frequency rTMS of 10 Hz was applied over prefrontal cortex. To evaluate the severity of fatigue symptom, Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) score and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) rate were applied before and after rTMS application. Based on the BFI score before rTMS, the patients were divided into two groups: 'severe group' (n = 9) and 'mild group' (n = 13). We compared the extent of the improvements of fatigue symptom between two groups.Results: In severe group, compared to before rTMS, VAS rate was significantly lower not only at discharge but also 2 weeks after discharge. Similarly, mild group also showed significant decrease in VAS rate at the same timepoints. However, the extent of VAS rate change did not differ between two groups. In addition, no significant correlation between baseline score of BFI and the changes in VAS rate was indicated.Conclusions: It can be concluded that rTMS can improve fatigue symptom in ME patients regardless of baseline severity of fatigue symptom. It is expected that rTMS can be a novel therapeutic intervention for ME patients.

The Ability for Basic Movement Scale II Can Predict Functional Outcome and Discharge Destination in Stroke Patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify whether the Ability for Basic Movement Scale II (ABMS II) at admission would predict the functional status and discharge destination in convalescent stroke patients. METHODS: Ninety-four stroke patients admitted to convalescent rehabilitation ward were investigated. Their functions were evaluated by the ABMS II and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at admission, FIM and Functional Ambulation Category at discharge. Furthermore, the age, gender, diagnosis, lesion side, onset type, interval between onset and convalescent admission, length of stay (LOS) and discharge destination were recorded. Discharge destination was divided into home and facility. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression identified the ABMS II at admission as a significant predicator of discharge FIM in convalescent stroke patients (ß = .747, P < .05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed the ABMS II significantly predicting basic walk ability (odds ratio 1.29) and home discharge (odds ratio 1.241) of these patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that an optimal cutoff of 18 points of ABMS II predicted basic walk ability (area under the curve = .863, P < .05) and home discharge (area under the curve = .827, P < .05). Moreover, a significant negative correlation between the ABSM II at admission and LOS was found (Correlation coefficients -.680, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Higher score of the ABMS II at admission predicted better functional recovery, shorter LOS and more possibility to home in convalescent stroke patients. This new, easy scale is expected to be widely used for stroke patients.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Evaluation of Neural Network Development in Patients Undergoing Therapeutic Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation following Stroke.

We aimed to investigate plastic changes in cerebral white matter structures using diffusion tensor imaging following a 15-day stroke rehabilitation program. We compared the detection of cerebral plasticity between generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA), a novel tool for investigating white matter structures, and fractional anisotropy (FA). Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS) of 2400 pulses applied to the nonlesional hemisphere and 240 min intensive occupation therapy (OT) daily over 15 days. Motor function was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). Patients underwent diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on admission and discharge, from which bilateral FA and GFA values in Brodmann area (BA) 4 and BA6 were calculated. Motor function improved following treatment (p < 0.001). Treatment increased GFA values for both the lesioned and nonlesioned BA4 (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, resp.). Changes in GFA value for BA4 of the lesioned hemisphere were significantly inversely correlated with changes in WMFT scores (R2 = 0.363, p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that the GFA may have a potentially more useful ability than FA to detect changes in white matter structures in areas of fiber intersection for any such future investigations.

Microbleeds, Cerebral Hemorrhage, and Functional Outcome After Stroke Thrombolysis.

Background and Purpose- We assessed whether the presence, number, and distribution of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) on pre-intravenous thrombolysis MRI scans of acute ischemic stroke patients are associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) or poor functional outcome. Methods- We performed an individual patient data meta-analysis, including prospective and retrospective studies of acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator. Using multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression, we investigated associations of pre-treatment CMB presence, burden (1, 2-4, ≥5, and >10), and presumed pathogenesis (cerebral amyloid angiopathy defined as strictly lobar CMBs and noncerebral amyloid angiopathy) with symptomatic ICH, parenchymal hematoma (within [parenchymal hemorrhage, PH] and remote from the ischemic area [remote parenchymal hemorrhage, PHr]), and poor 3- to 6-month functional outcome (modified Rankin score >2). Results- In 1973 patients from 8 centers, the crude prevalence of CMBs was 526 of 1973 (26.7%). A total of 77 of 1973 (3.9%) patients experienced symptomatic ICH, 210 of 1806 (11.6%) experienced PH, and 56 of 1720 (3.3%) experienced PHr. In adjusted analyses, patients with CMBs (compared with those without CMBs) had increased risk of PH (odds ratio: 1.50; 95% confidence interval: 1.09-2.07; P=0.013) and PHr (odds ratio: 3.04; 95% confidence interval: 1.73-5.35; P<0.001) but not symptomatic ICH. Both cerebral amyloid angiopathy and noncerebral amyloid angiopathy patterns of CMBs were associated with PH and PHr. Increasing CMB burden category was associated with the risk of symptomatic ICH ( P=0.014), PH ( P=0.013), and PHr ( P<0.00001). Five or more and >10 CMBs independently predicted poor 3- to 6-month outcome (odds ratio: 1.85; 95% confidence interval: 1.10-3.12; P=0.020; and odds ratio: 3.99; 95% confidence interval: 1.55-10.22; P=0.004, respectively). Conclusions- Increasing CMB burden is associated with increased risk of ICH (including PHr) and poor 3- to 6-month functional outcome after intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke.

Association Between 7 Days Per Week Rehabilitation and Functional Recovery of Patients With Acute Stroke: A Retrospective Cohort Study Based on the Japan Rehabilitation Database.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that functional outcome of patients with stroke who receive 7d/wk of rehabilitation is generally better than that of similar patients who undergo 5 or 6d/wk of rehabilitation. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Acute hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: From the Japan Rehabilitation Database, which includes data on 8033 patients with acute stroke collected between January 2005 and December 2013, we included 3072 patients with stroke who were admitted to the acute hospitals and received 7d/wk of rehabilitation. INTERVENTION: Seven days per week of rehabilitation was defined as rehabilitation therapy administrated by a physical or occupational therapist on every weekday, Saturday, and Sunday. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Favorable functional independence in daily living, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 at the time of discharge. RESULTS: A total of 1075 (35.0%) patients received 7d/wk of rehabilitation. Univariate analysis demonstrated a significant difference in favorable functional recovery between the 7d/wk rehabilitation group and non-7d/wk rehabilitation group (43.3% vs 37.6%, respectively; P=.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis using the generalized estimating equations method showed that 7d/wk of rehabilitation was independently associated with favorable functional recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Our cohort analysis demonstrated that 7d/wk of rehabilitation in early rehabilitation for patients with acute stroke can lead to functional recovery.

The Efficacy of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Improving Apathy in Chronic Stroke Patients.

Although repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for hemiparesis is beneficial, so far no study has examined the usefulness of rTMS for apathy. Thirteen patients with chronic stroke were assigned randomly to 2 groups: rTMS group (n = 7) and sham stimulation group (n = 6). The patients received 5 sessions of either high-frequency rTMS over the region spanning from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) or sham stimulation for 5 days. The severity of apathy was evaluated using the Apathy Scale (AS) and the severity of depression was evaluated using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) serially before and after the 5-day protocol. The AS and QIDS scores were significantly improved in the rTMS group, although they were not changed in the sham stimulation group. The degree of change in the AS score was significantly greater in the rTMS group than that in the sham stimulation group. The degree of change in the QIDS score was greater in the rTMS group than that in the sham stimulation group, although the difference was not statistically significant. The application of high frequency rTMS over the dACC and mPFC may be a useful intervention for apathy due to stroke.

Very Early versus Delayed Rehabilitation for Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Intravenous Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Although the safety and feasibility of very early rehabilitation for stroke are well recognized, the initiation of rehabilitation is sometimes delayed after thrombolysis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the association between very early rehabilitation and outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients who received tissue plasminogen activator, using a national inpatient database in Japan. METHODS: We identified patients who were admitted to acute-care hospitals with ischemic stroke and were treated with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator on the same day of stroke onset and received rehabilitation within 3 days from admission. The primary outcome was functional independence on discharge. We compared the outcomes of a very early rehabilitation group with a comparison group. RESULTS: We identified 6,153 eligible patients, of whom 4,266 received very early rehabilitation. The proportion of functional independence on discharge was 41.2 and 36.6% in the very early rehabilitation group and the comparison group, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the very early rehabilitation was significantly associated with a higher proportion of functional independence after adjustment for confounding factors. There was no significant difference in 7-, 30-, 90-day mortality or incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage between the groups after adjusting for baseline characteristics. Instrumental variable analysis confirmed a higher proportion of functionally independent patients in the very early rehabilitation group. CONCLUSION: Patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing very early rehabilitation after thrombolysis were more likely to achieve functional independence without an increase in adverse outcomes.

Atomoxetine administration combined with intensive speech therapy for post-stroke aphasia: evaluation by a novel SPECT method.

OBJECTIVES: We clarified the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of atomoxetine administration combined with intensive speech therapy (ST) for patients with post-stroke aphasia. In addition, we investigated the effect of atomoxetine treatment on neural activity of surrounding lesioned brain areas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four adult patients with motor-dominant aphasia and a history of left hemispheric stroke were studied. We have registered on the clinical trials database (ID: JMA-IIA00215). Daily atomoxetine administration of 40 mg was initiated two weeks before admission and raised to 80 mg 1 week before admission. During the subsequent 13-day hospitalization, administration of atomoxetine was raised to 120 mg and daily intensive ST (120 min/day, one-on-one training) was provided. Language function was assessed using the Japanese version of The Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and the Token test two weeks prior to admission, on the day of admission, and at discharge. At two weeks prior to admission and at discharge, each patient's cortical blood flow was measured using (123)I-IMP-single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). RESULTS: This protocol was successfully completed by all patients without any adverse effects. Four patients showed improved language function with the median of the Token Test increasing from 141 to 149, and the repetition score of WAB increasing from 88 to 99. In addition, cortical blood flow surrounding lesioned brain areas was found to increase following intervention in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Atomoxetine administration and intensive ST were safe and feasible for post-stroke aphasia, suggesting their potential usefulness in the treatment of this patient population.

Effect of home-based training using a slant board with dorsiflexed ankles on walking function in post-stroke hemiparetic patients.

[Purpose] To investigate the effects of a 30-day rehabilitation program using a slant board on walking function in post-stroke hemiparetic patients. [Subjects and Methods] Six hemiparetic patients with gait disturbance were studied. The patients were instructed to perform a home-based rehabilitation program using a slant board, thrice daily for 30 days, the exercise included standing on the slant board for 3 minutes, with both ankles dorsiflexed without backrest. For all patients, the Brunnstrom Recovery Stage, Barthel Index, range of motion of the ankle joint, modified Ashworth scale scole for calf muscle, sensory impairments with Numeral Rating Scale, maximum walking speed, number of steps, and Timed "Up and Go" test were serially evaluated at the beginning and end of the 30-day program. [Results] The program significantly increased walking velocity, decreased the number of steps in the 10-m walking test, and decreased Timed "Up and Go" test performance time. [Conclusion] This rehabilitation program using the slant board was safe and improved walking function in patients. The improvement in walking function could be due to a forward shift of the center of gravity, which can be an important part of motor learning for gait improvement.

Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and intensive occupational therapy on motor neuron excitability in poststroke hemiparetic patients: a neurophysiological investigation using F-wave parameters.

BACKGROUND: The combination protocol of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (RTMS) and intensive occupational therapy (OT) improves motor function of the paretic upper limb in poststroke patients. However, the effect of RTMS/OT on motor neuron excitability remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 15-day application of RTMS/OT on motor neuron excitability in such patients using neurophysiological studies including F-wave parameter measurements. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ten poststroke patients with spastic upper limb hemiparesis were studied (mean age: 57.4 ± 8.1 years, ± SD). Patients were hospitalized for 15 days to receive RTMS/OT. One session of 40-min low-frequency RTMS and two sessions of 120-min intensive OT were provided daily. Neurophysiological studies including F-wave parameters measurements were performed on the days of admission/discharge. Motor function and spasticity of the affected upper limb were evaluated on the same time points. RESULTS: RTMS/OT significantly improved motor function of the affected upper limb. RTMS/OT decreased the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) in the affected upper limb (p < 0.05), but did not change F-wave frequency in either upper limb. However, both F-mean/M ratio and F-max/M ratio significantly decreased in the affected upper limb (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The 15-day protocol of LF-RTMS/OT produced significant reduction of motor neuron excitability. RTMS/OT can potentially produce significant reduction in upper limb spasticity in the affected upper limb, although this finding should be confirmed in a larger number of patients.

Repetitive Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation With Intensive Swallowing Rehabilitation for Poststroke Dysphagia: An Open-Label Case Series.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the safety and feasibility of a six-day protocol of in-hospital repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation combined with intensive swallowing rehabilitation (rPMS-ISR) for poststroke dysphagia. METHODS: The subjects were eight patients with dysphagia caused by bilateral cerebral infarction (age: 62-70; time from onset of stroke: 27-39 months). rPMS was applied to the suprahyoid muscles, at strength set at 90% of the minimal intensity that elicited pain with a parabolic coil. One train of stimuli comprised 20 Hz for 3 sec followed by 27-sec rest. A single session included delivery of repetitive 20 trains of stimuli over 10 min, followed by 20 min of swallowing rehabilitation. Each patient received this combination treatment twice daily, morning and afternoon, over six consecutive days. Swallowing function was evaluated before and after intervention. RESULTS: rPMS-ISR induced significant improvement in swallowing ability, laryngeal elevation delay time, penetration aspiration scale, and swallowing quality of life (p < 0.01), but had no significant effect on the functional oral intake scale. CONCLUSION: The six-day in-hospital RPMS-ISR protocol seems safe and feasible for poststroke patients with dysphagia. The combination protocol improved swallowing function. Further larger studies are needed to confirm its efficacy.

Clinical management provided by board-certificated physiatrists in early rehabilitation is a significant determinant of functional improvement in acute stroke patients: a retrospective analysis of Japan rehabilitation database.

BACKGROUND: Early rehabilitation for acute stroke patients is widely recommended. We tested the hypothesis that clinical outcome of stroke patients who receive early rehabilitation managed by board-certificated physiatrists (BCP) is generally better than that provided by other medical specialties. METHODS: Data of stroke patients who underwent early rehabilitation in 19 acute hospitals between January 2005 and December 2013 were collected from the Japan Rehabilitation Database and analyzed retrospectively. Multivariate linear regression analysis using generalized estimating equations method was performed to assess the association between Functional Independence Measure (FIM) effectiveness and management provided by BCP in early rehabilitation. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis was also performed to assess the impact of management provided by BCP in acute phase on discharge destination. RESULTS: After setting the inclusion criteria, data of 3838 stroke patients were eligible for analysis. BCP provided early rehabilitation in 814 patients (21.2%). Both the duration of daily exercise time and the frequency of regular conferencing were significantly higher for patients managed by BCP than by other specialties. Although the mortality rate was not different, multivariate regression analysis showed that FIM effectiveness correlated significantly and positively with the management provided by BCP (coefficient, .35; 95% confidence interval [CI], .012-.059; P < .005). In addition, multivariate logistic analysis identified clinical management by BCP as a significant determinant of home discharge (odds ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.08-1.44; P < .005). CONCLUSIONS: Our retrospective cohort study demonstrated that clinical management provided by BCP in early rehabilitation can lead to functional recovery of acute stroke.