Stair walking is associated with returning home after inpatient stroke rehabilitation in Belgium and Switzerland: a multicentric retrospective study.
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
41623684
Abstract
Introduction
Identifying factors associated with discharge destination after inpatient stroke rehabilitation is important for patients and healthcare professionals. It supports discharge planning and prevents delayed discharge.Objective
To identify key variables from socio-demographic and clinical data associated with returning home after inpatient stroke rehabilitation, focusing on patients from three rehabilitation centers in Belgium and Switzerland.Methods
This multicenter retrospective study, conducted in three centers, included 1475 adult patients with stroke admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit between December 2012 and June 2021. A logistic regression with backward selection was used to define the model for discharge destination. The dependent variable was the discharge destination (home vs other). The independent variables were selected from the socio-demographic, medical, neurological, care pathway, and functional data and included age, gender, living arrangement, type of stroke, previous stroke, cognitive impairments, independence in grooming, eating, and stair walking.Results
The final model included three variables (independence in stair walking, living arrangement, and cognitive impairment). Stair walking had the strongest association with returning home. Patients who were partially (OR 5.83, 95% CI 3.67-9.26) or fully independent (OR 14.31, 95% CI 9.34-21.93) were more likely to return home than patients who were unable to walk the stairs. The results were similar for subgroups and for discharge and admission data.Conclusion
The study showed that independence in walking stairs is strongly associated with discharge destination. Aligned with another study, these results should be confirmed in further research.
Identifying factors associated with discharge destination after inpatient stroke rehabilitation is important for patients and healthcare professionals. It supports discharge planning and prevents delayed discharge.Objective
To identify key variables from socio-demographic and clinical data associated with returning home after inpatient stroke rehabilitation, focusing on patients from three rehabilitation centers in Belgium and Switzerland.Methods
This multicenter retrospective study, conducted in three centers, included 1475 adult patients with stroke admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit between December 2012 and June 2021. A logistic regression with backward selection was used to define the model for discharge destination. The dependent variable was the discharge destination (home vs other). The independent variables were selected from the socio-demographic, medical, neurological, care pathway, and functional data and included age, gender, living arrangement, type of stroke, previous stroke, cognitive impairments, independence in grooming, eating, and stair walking.Results
The final model included three variables (independence in stair walking, living arrangement, and cognitive impairment). Stair walking had the strongest association with returning home. Patients who were partially (OR 5.83, 95% CI 3.67-9.26) or fully independent (OR 14.31, 95% CI 9.34-21.93) were more likely to return home than patients who were unable to walk the stairs. The results were similar for subgroups and for discharge and admission data.Conclusion
The study showed that independence in walking stairs is strongly associated with discharge destination. Aligned with another study, these results should be confirmed in further research.
Date Issued
2026
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Subjects
Patient discharge
•
Stair climbing
•
Stroke
•
Stroke rehabilitation
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Chevalley, Odile |
Opsommer, Emmanuelle |
Truijen, Steven |
Eberlé, Grégoire |
Lehmann, Isabelle |
Van Den Keybus Déglon, Katrien |
Saeys, Wim |
Additional Credits
Journal
Archives of Physiotherapy
Publisher
AboutScienceSrl
ISSN
2057-0082
Access(Rights)
open.access