Gait performance and quality of life in stroke survivors: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Stroke is one of the major causes of neurological deficiencies in the world, and can lead to a wide spectrum of physical deficiencies, including gait performance. These gait abnormalities have a substantial impact on functional activities, lifestyle, and the individual's perceptions about the functionality of daily life and well-being after stroke. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate gait performance, identifying determining which gait components were associated with impaired quality of life in stroke survivors. METHODS: Individuals with  independent gait after a stroke, with or without the use of walking aids such as crutches or canes  were included in the study.  The socio-demographic and clinical data were recorded, then some tests were evaluated, with o 6-minute walk test (6MWT), 10-meters walk test (10MWT), Timed Up & Go (TUG), modified Barthel Index (mBI),National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and European Quality of life – 5 dimensions (EQ-5D). A stepwise multivariable logistic regression model assessed predictors of impaired QoL. RESULTS: A total of 124 individual with a mean age of 66 years and median NIHSS of 3 points were included. The mean EQ-5D was 0.44 (SD 0.38) and 91 individuals (73%) had impaired QoL. There was a positive correlation between 6MWT and EQ-5D (r = 0.48, p <0.001). Increasing age, functional capacity, 6MWT, 10MWT, stroke severity and female sex were associated with impaired QoL (p<0.05). In the multivariable analysis, 6MWT (OR 0.94 per 10m increase, p=0.046), functional capacity (OR 0.66, p=0.022) and age (OR 0.54 per 10 year increase, p=0.002) were associated with impaired QoL. CONCLUSION: Distance walked in 6MWT was the strongest gait aspect independently associated with quality of life in community-dwelling individuals with independent gait after a stroke.