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Efficiency of telerehabilitation on subacute stroke ambulation: A Matched Case-Control Study

Alejandro García-Rudolph , Mark Wright, Claudia Teixido, Eloy Opisso, Gunnar Cedersund, Josep Medina

Abstract

Objective. Stroke now represents the condition with the highest need for physical rehabilitation worldwide with only low or moderate-level evidence testing telerehabilitation compared to in-person care. We compared functional ambulation in subacute patients with stroke following telerehabilitation and matched in-person controls with no biopsychosocial differences at baseline. Materials and Methods. We conducted a matched case-control study to compare functional ambulation between individuals with stroke following telerehabilitation and matched in-person controls, assessed using the FAC (Functional ambulation Categories) and the FIM (Functional Independence Measure). Results. The telerehabilitation group (n=38) achieved significantly higher FAC gains (1.5 (1.3) vs 1.0 (1.0)), with no differences in efficiency, in individuals admitted to rehabilitation within 60 days after stroke onset, with 49.8 (±11.4) years of age at admission, 55.3% female sex, moderate stroke severity, 42.1% with “good” motor FIM at baseline, mostly living with sentimental partner (73.7%), with 21.1% holding an university education degree. Conclusions. Both groups showed no significant differences in ambulation efficiency, though the telerehabilitation group achieved higher FAC gains. Our results suggest that home telerehabilitation can be considered as a good alternative when addressing ambulation on patients with moderate stroke severity and whose home situation mostly includes a cohabiting partner.

IB24032  Accepted 21 November 2024

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