Long-Term Outcomes of FIM Motor Items Predicted From Acute Stage NIHSS of Patients With Middle Cerebral Artery Infarct

OBJECTIVE: To outline the association between the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in the acute stage and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of motor items several months later. METHODS: Seventy-nine infarct cases with middle-cerebral-artery region transferred to long-term rehabilitation facilities were analyzed. Patients were allocated to either the model-development group or the confirmatory group at a 2:1 ratio. Independent variables were based on the NIHSS during the acute care and on demographic factors such as age and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) before onset. Multivariate logistic analyses were performed to predict the independence of each FIM motor item. These models were evaluated in the confirmatory group. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic analyses in the model-development group (n=53) indicated that at least one NIHSS item was statistically significantly associated with the functional independence of a single FIM motor item. Of the NIHSS items, the affected lower extremity item was the most widely associated with 11 of the FIM motor items, except for eating and shower transfer. The affected upper extremity function was the second widely involved factor associated with 7 of the FIM motor items including eating, grooming, bathing, toileting, bed transfer, toilet transfer, and shower transfer. Age and mRS were also statistically significant contributing factors. The obtained predictive models were assessed in the confirmatory group (n=26); these were successful except for the stairs climb item. CONCLUSION: In combination with age and pre-stroke status, the NIHSS items (especially the affected extremity items) may be useful for the prediction of long-term outcome in terms of activities in daily living.