Relationship of the brief-balance evaluation systems test with physical functioning and activities of daily living: A cross-sectional study among hospitalized acute stroke patients.

Background: The Brief-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief-BESTest) has the potential to be used effectively for interventions on specific balance components. However, it has not been utilized for acute stroke cases.

Objective: This study determined the characteristics of the distribution of the Brief-BESTest scores of patients who suffered acute stroke and examined its relationship with physical function and activities of daily living ability.

Methods: The Brief-BESTest, sub-items of Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS), and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) were conducted among 41 hospitalized acute stroke patients (71.3±9.5 years, 32 males). The skewness of the Brief-BESTest and Spearman's rank correlation (ρ) between Brief-BESTest, SIAS, and FIM were analyzed.

Results: The skewness of the total score of the Brief-BESTest was -0.038. There were no ceiling or floor effects. The total score of the Brief-BESTest had a weak positive correlation with the SIAS lower extremity motor function (ρ= 0.457) and muscle tone (ρ= 0.374), and the total score on FIM (ρ= 0.365). Each sub-item of the Brief-BESTest was associated with different physical functions.

Conclusions: The Brief-BESTest was unaffected by floor and ceiling functions among hospitalized acute stroke patients, and different physical functions were associated with each balance component.