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Association of physical functioning with same-hospital readmission after stroke
1Research Department, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
Objective:
Readmission after hospitalization for stroke is an important outcome. We sought to document the frequency of same-hospital readmission and to determine the relative value of physical functioning as a predictor of the outcome.
Design:
Consenting patients (n = 228) who were admitted for ischemic stroke were characterized according to demographics, stroke severity, and self-reported prestroke and postadmission physical functioning. The hospital's administrative database was used to track readmissions during the year after index hospitalization.
Results:
Same-hospital readmissions were experienced by 37.3% of the patients. The readmissions usually occurred within 100 days of discharge. The most common readmission diagnosis was stroke (14.1%). Lower prestroke and postadmission physical functioning (as reflected by dichotomous Barthel index scores) were weak but significant predictors of readmission (r = -0.165 and -0.268, respectively). Regression analysis showed that once postadmission physical functioning was accounted for, neither prestroke functioning nor any other measured variable added to the explanation of same-hospital readmission.
Conclusion:
The importance of physical functioning goes beyond rehabilitation. It is a potentially modifiable variable with implications for readmission.