Prestroke Physical Activity Matters for Functional Limitations: A Longitudinal Case-Control Study of 12,860...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• Functional limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) typically stabilize post-stroke before increasing over time.
• The impact of physical activity levels prior to a stroke on long-term functional outcomes remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term relationship between prestroke physical activity and the evolution of functional limitations in stroke survivors.
• To compare the effect of prestroke physical activity on functional limitations in individuals with stroke versus matched individuals without stroke.

Main Methods:

• Utilized longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2004-2022).
• Included 2143 individuals with stroke and 10,717 matched controls aged 50+.
• Propensity score matching was employed based on covariates including age, sex, BMI, baseline functional status, and chronic conditions.

Main Results:

• A significant interaction was observed between stroke status and physical activity on ADL limitations.
• The positive effect of physical activity on reducing ADL limitations was more pronounced in the stroke cohort (b = -0.345) compared to the non-stroke cohort (b = -0.269).

Conclusions:

• Prestroke physical activity confers a stronger protective effect against ADL limitations following a stroke than observed in the general population.
• Physical activity is a crucial modifiable factor for mitigating functional dependence post-stroke and can inform prognosis.