Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcome: a Matter of Diagnosis?

Overview

Journal Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat

Publisher Dove Medical Press

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2013 Apr 4

PMID 23550109

Citations 1

Authors

Maurizio Bejor

Francesca Chiara Ramella

Elena Dalla Toffola

Mario Comelli

Matteo Chiappedi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Patients with comorbidities are becoming more and more common in Italian rehabilitative wards. These comorbidities are considered a major problem for inpatient rehabilitation, due to the fact that they cause longer lengths of stay, higher costs, and lower functional results.

Methods: To investigate the possible relationships between comorbidity, functional impairment, age, and type of discharge in patients hospitalized in postacute rehabilitation facilities, we planned an observational study. A total of 178 consecutive inpatients (average age: 78 years [range: 39-99]) from postacute rehabilitation facilities were recruited. Primary diagnosis, comorbidity rating (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale - Geriatric version, CIRS-G) and functional impairment score (Functional Independence Measure, FIM™) were evaluated at admission. The FIM™ rating was also assessed at hospital discharge.

Results: A total of 178 of the 199 enrolled patients completed the rehabilitation treatment (89.4%). The average length of stay was 46 ± 24 days. CIRS-G showed an average comorbidity score for each patient of 4.45 ± 1.69. The average FIM™ rating was 79 ± 24.88 at admission, and 91.9 ± 25.7 at discharge. Diagnosis at admission (grouped according to the International Classification of Diseases 9-CM) seemed to correlate with functional results, since lower rehabilitative efficiency was obtained for patients who had a history of stroke.

Conclusion: The number and type of comorbidities (CIRS-G) in rehabilitation inpatients do not seem to affect functional outcomes of treatment. The determining factor for a lower level of functional recovery seems to be the diagnosis at admission.

Citing Articles

Relations between indoor rehabilitation and basic health services in a developing country.

Uddin T, Ahmed B, Khan Shoma F Front Rehabil Sci. 2023; 4:1001084.

PMID: 36761089 PMC: 9905241. DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2023.1001084.

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