Predicting models for arm impairment: External validation of the Scandinavian models and identification of new predictors in post-acute stroke settings.

Background: Post-stroke arm impairment at rehabilitation admission as predictor of discharge arm impairment was consistently reported as extremely useful. Several models for acute prediction exist (e.g.

Long-term trajectories of community integration: identification, characterization, and prediction using inpatient rehabilitation variables.

Background: Community integration (CI) is often regarded as the foundation of rehabilitation endeavors after stroke; nevertheless, few studies have investigated the relationship between inpatient rehabilitation (clinical and demographic) variables and long-term CI.

Objectives: To identify novel classes of patients having similar temporal patterns in CI and relate them to baseline features.

Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study analyzing ( = 287) adult patients with stroke admitted to rehabilitation between 2003 and 2018, including baseline Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at discharge, follow-ups ( = 1264) of Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) between 2006 and 2022.

The impact of COVID-19 on home, social, and productivity integration of people with chronic traumatic brain injury or stroke living in the community.

Compare community integration of people with stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) living in the community before and during the coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease (COVID-19) when stratifying by injury: participants with stroke (G1) and with TBI (G2); by functional independence in activities of daily living: independent (G3) and dependent (G4); by age: participants younger than 54 (G5) and older than 54 (G6); and by gender: female (G7) and male (G8) participants.Prospective observational cohort studyIn-person follow-up visits (before COVID-19 outbreak) to a rehabilitation hospital in Spain and on-line during COVID-19.Community dwelling adults (≥18 years) with chronic stroke or TBI.

Long-term trajectories of motor functional independence after ischemic stroke in young adults: Identification and characterization using inpatient baseline assessments.

Background: Stroke is a major worldwide cause of serious long-term disability. Most previous studies addressing functional independence included only inpatients with limited follow-up.

Objective: To identify novel classes of patients having similar temporal patterns in motor functional independence and relate them to baseline clinical features.

The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on emotional and behavioral stress of informal family caregivers of individuals with stroke or traumatic brain injury at chronic phase living in a Mediterranean setting.

Introduction: Even in nonpandemic times, persons with disabilities experience emotional and behavioral disturbances which are distressing for them and for their close persons. We aimed at comparing the levels of stress in emotional and behavioral aspects, before and during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as reported by informal family caregivers of individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke living in the community, considering two different stratifications of the recipients of care (cause and injury severity).

Methods: We conducted a STROBE-compliant prospective observational study analyzing informal caregivers of individuals with stroke (IC-STROKE) or traumatic brain injury (IC-TBI).

Predictive models for independence after stroke rehabilitation: Maugeri external validation and development of a new model.

Background: Many efforts have been devoted to identify predictors of functional outcomes after stroke rehabilitation. Though extensively recommended, there are very few external validation studies.

Objective: To externally validate two predictive models (Maugeri model 1 and model 2) and to develop a new model (model 3) that estimate the probability of achieving improvement in physical functioning (primary outcome) and a level of independence requiring no more than supervision (secondary outcome) after stroke rehabilitation.

Loss of smell in patients with traumatic brain injury is associated with neuropsychiatric behavioral alterations.

Objective: We sought to identify and correlate the severity of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) associated with olfactory dysfunction with cognitive and behavioral profiles.

Participants And Setting: Patients with TBI undergoing treatment in a specialized neuro-rehabilitation hospital.

Design: Prospective study.

Neuropsychological Assessments of Patients With Acquired Brain Injury: A Cluster Analysis Approach to Address Heterogeneity in Web-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation.

We aimed to (1) apply cluster analysis techniques to mixed-type data (numerical and categorical) from baseline neuropsychological standard and widely used assessments of patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) (2) apply state-of-the-art cluster validity indexes (CVI) to assess their internal validity (3) study their external validity considering relevant aspects of ABI rehabilitation such as functional independence measure (FIM) in activities of daily life assessment (4) characterize the identified profiles by using demographic and clinically relevant variables and (5) extend the external validation of the obtained clusters to all cognitive rehabilitation tasks executed by the participants in a web-based cognitive rehabilitation platform (GNPT). We analyzed 1,107 patients with ABI, 58.1% traumatic brain injury (TBI), 21.

The impact of Body Mass Index on functional rehabilitation outcomes of working-age inpatients with stroke.

Background: Stroke is the most relevant cause of acquired persistent disability in adulthood. The relationship between patient's weight during rehabilitation and stroke functional outcome is controversial, previous research reported positive, negative and no effects, with scarce studies specifically addressing working-age patients.

Aim: To evaluate the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the functional progress of adult (<65 years) patients with stroke admitted to a rehabilitation hospital.

Predicting length of stay in patients admitted to stroke rehabilitation with severe and moderate levels of functional impairments.

Severe stroke patients are known to be associated with larger rehabilitation length of stay (LOS) but other factors besides severity may be contributing. We aim to identify LOS predictors within a population of mostly severe patients and analyze the impact of socioeconomic situation in functionality at admission.A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted including 172 inpatients admitted to a rehabilitation center between 2007 and 2019.

Subacute ischemic stroke rehabilitation outcomes in working-age adults: The role of aphasia in cognitive functional independence.

Background: About one-third of adult stroke patients suffer from aphasia when they are discharged from hospital. Aphasia seems to be a negative predictive factor affecting post-stroke functional recovery after rehabilitation, but this association has been scarcely addressed in previous research.

Objectives: We aim to evaluate the impact of aphasia in cognitive functional outcomes in working-age first-ever ischemic stroke adults.

Cognition assessments to predict inpatient falls in a subacute stroke rehabilitation setting.

: Stroke-related falls occur at especially high rates in rehabilitation settings. Inpatient-hospital falls have been identified as one of the most common medical complications after stroke, negatively influencing recovery, nevertheless, the role of cognition in relation to falls during inpatient rehabilitation is largely unexplored. .

Evidence of chronic stroke rehabilitation interventions in activities and participation outcomes: systematic review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disabilities worldwide. A great deal of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) address rehabilitation in chronic stroke, several of them with focus on activities and participation, considered critical outcomes of successful rehabilitation. Nevertheless, substantial heterogeneity might exist between studies, the reported associations may be causal, but they might also be flawed, as inherent study biases such as residual confounding and selective reporting of positive results may exaggerate the effect of interventions in chronic phase.

Olfactory Training Prevents Olfactory Dysfunction Induced by Bulbar Excitotoxic Lesions: Role of Neurogenesis and Dopaminergic Interneurons.

Glutamatergic excitotoxicity is involved in pathologies affecting the central nervous system, including traumatic brain injury (TBI) and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), in which olfactory dysfunction is an early symptom. Interestingly, our group has recently shown that bilateral administration of the glutamate agonist, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in the olfactory bulbs (OBs) induces an olfactory dysfunction 1 week after lesions. Although a wide range of treatments have been attempted, no standard therapy has been established to treat olfactory disorders.

Quality of Life After Brain Injury: Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Translation of the QoLIBRI.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is frequently followed by a variety of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms, which affect the patient's daily life, their social relations, and their work/educational status. In addition to function measures, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has received increasing attention as an important outcome after TBI, as it may guide rehabilitation and evaluate treatment success. Here, we report on psychometric properties of a Spanish translation of the quality of life after brain injury (QoLIBRI) questionnaire, a disease-specific instrument to assess HRQoL in patients after TBI.

Feasibility of Aerobic Exercise in the Subacute Phase of Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Series.

Background And Purpose: Aerobic exercise is as important for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) as for the general population; however, the approach to aerobic training may require some adaptation. The objective of the trial program was to examine the feasibility of introducing aerobic physical exercise programs into the subacute phase of multidisciplinary rehabilitation from moderate to severe TBI, which includes computerized cognitive training.

Case Description: Five individuals undergoing inpatient rehabilitation with moderate or severe TBIs who also have concomitant physical injuries.

Olfactory Training in Post-Traumatic Smell Impairment: Mild Improvement in Threshold Performances: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be associated with partial or total smell loss. Recent studies have suggested that olfactory outcome can be positively modulated after olfactory training (OT). This study's aim was to investigate OT's potential role in smell recovery after TBI-induced olfactory loss.

Olfactory function in an excitotoxic model for secondary neuronal degeneration: Role of dopaminergic interneurons.

Secondary neuronal degeneration (SND) occurring in Traumatic brain injury (TBI) consists in downstream destructive events affecting cells that were not or only marginally affected by the initial wound, further increasing the effects of the primary injury. Glutamate excitotoxicity is hypothesized to play an important role in SND. TBI is a common cause of olfactory dysfunction that may be spontaneous and partially recovered.

tDCS does not enhance the effects of robot-assisted gait training in patients with subacute stroke.

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, which can modulate cortical excitability and combined with rehabilitation therapies may improve motor recovery after stroke.

Objective: Our aim was to study the feasibility of a 4-week robotic gait training protocol combined with tDCS, and to study tDCS to the leg versus hand motor cortex or sham to improve walking ability in patients after a subacute stroke.

Methods: Forty-nine subacute stroke patients underwent 20 daily sessions (5 days a week for 4 weeks) of robotic gait training combined with tDCS.

How does dysautonomia influence the outcome of traumatic brain injured patients admitted in a neurorehabilitation unit?

Background: Patients surviving severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may suffer from symptoms presumed to be related to an excessive sympathetic production known as paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH). While this condition is more common in the acute phase, prognosis is less clear in rehabilitation settings.

Aim: The goal of this study is to describe the functional status of patients with PSH admitted in a rehabilitation hospital and to determine its prognostic influence during rehabilitation.

ICF profiling of patients with traumatic brain injury: an international professional survey.

Purpose: A worldwide internet survey was conducted (1) to identify problems of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) addressed by health professionals and (2) to summarize these problems using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Method: A pool of professionals involved in the TBI rehabilitation process that included physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and psychologists were surveyed to identify problems in functioning and contextual factors of individuals with TBI using open-ended questions. All answers were translated ("linked") to the ICF based on established rules.

Development of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core sets for traumatic brain injury: an International consensus process.

Background: In a patient-oriented healthcare system, the integration of the functional status of the patient from the perspective of different professionals is understandable by the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Objective: A formal decision-making and consensus process is presented to develop the first version of the International Classification on Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Traumatic Brain Injury.

Method: A panel with the results from preparatory studies that included a literature review, a qualitative study, empirical data collection and an expert survey, was presented.

Spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury: a cost-of-illness study.

Background: Among traumatic injuries, spinal cord injuries (SCI) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are of major importance because of their epidemiological and economic impact on society. The overall objective of this study was to estimate the economic cost associated with people with SCI and TBI in Spain in 2007.

Methods: A cost-of-illness analysis was performed, considering the perspective of society, using a 1-year time horizon.

An observational report of intensive robotic and manual gait training in sub-acute stroke.

Background: The use of automated electromechanical devices for gait training in neurological patients is increasing, yet the functional outcomes of well-defined training programs using these devices and the characteristics of patients that would most benefit are seldom reported in the literature. In an observational study of functional outcomes, we aimed to provide a benchmark for expected change in gait function in early stroke patients, from an intensive inpatient rehabilitation program including both robotic and manual gait training.

Methods: We followed 103 sub-acute stroke patients who met the clinical inclusion criteria for Body Weight Supported Robotic Gait Training (BWSRGT).