Assessment of rehabilitation following subarachnoid haemorrhage in China: findings from the Chinese Stroke Center Alliance

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation improves functional recovery in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients, and assessing patients for rehabilitation is the first step in this process. However, little is known about clinical practice in China regarding the assessment and provision of rehabilitation for patients with SAH. METHODS: To identify patients hospitalized with SAH and to analyze rehabilitation assessment rates, we used data for 11,234 SAH patients admitted to 861 hospitals from the China Stroke Center Alliance from August 2015 to July 2019. We examined factors for rehabilitation assessment and analyzed the relationship between rehabilitation assessment and outcomes in these patients. RESULTS: Among 11,234 patients with SAH, 6,513 (58.0%) were assessed for rehabilitation. Assessed patients had an increased length of stay (mean ± SD days: 17.3 ± 12.5 versus 11.6 ± 10.5, P = 49.4), a higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on admission (mean ± SD GCS score: 12.3 ± 3.8 versus 11.8 ± 4.4, P = 12.2), and were more likely to be admitted to the stroke unit (19.6% versus 13.8%, P = 15.6). In multivariable analysis, factors associated with an increased likelihood of a rehabilitation assessment (p < 0.05) included a longer length of stay (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04 to 1.05) and care such as dysphagia screening (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.73 to 2.04), DVT prophylaxis (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.41 to 1.72) and vessel evaluation (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.63 to 1.98). For the multivariate analysis of outcomes, patients undergoing rehabilitation assessment had a longer length of stay (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.81 to 2.12), a higher modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.36 to 1.64), and higher rates of discharge to a rehabilitation center (OR, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.81-5.75). CONCLUSION: More than two-fifths of SAH patients were not assessed for rehabilitation. Rates vary considerably among hospital grades, and there is a need to improve adherence to recommended care for SAH patients.