Predict Factors that Influence Stroke Recovery and Function Using FIM Score at Discharge in a Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Background: To assess the use of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in predicting functional outcomes after hospital discharge using the functional independence measure (FIM) in patient’s post-stroke. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 99 patients who were admitted to NGHA hospitals between January 2020 and January 2022 and had been discharged and scheduled for rehabilitation sessions in the hospital. All data were extracted from medical health records during the study period. Data on patient characteristics, NIHSS score, FIM admission and discharge scores, stroke type, rehabilitation sessions, smoking status, hypertension, and length of stay were collected. Results: Most patients had moderate stroke, and 88.9% of all the patients had ischemic stroke. There was a statistically significant improvement in the FIM score from admission to discharge [2.84 (+1.63) to 4.47 (+1.55), p= 0.01]. After adjusting for all other potential predictor variables, the NIHSS score for moderate stroke significantly predicted the FIM score upon discharge. Conclusion: This study showed the significance of using the NIHSS score for newly admitted patients with moderate stroke in predicting recovery. Conclusion: The study illustrated a significant improvement in the FIM scores from admission to discharge, demonstrating the importance of early and intensive rehabilitation post-stroke.