The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation

Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) can result in severe physical impairment causing difficulty with moving which, if not actively managed, can lead to contracture and deformity. Delayed access to rehabilitation may result in more contracture, with potential to increase duration of rehabilitatio...

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Main Authors: Stephen Ashford, Barbara Singer, Hilary Rose, Lynne Turner-Stokes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Health - Lippincott Williams Wilkins 2022-01-01
Series:The Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jisprm.org/article.asp?issn=2349-7904;year=2022;volume=5;issue=3;spage=97;epage=104;aulast=Ashford
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author Stephen Ashford
Barbara Singer
Hilary Rose
Lynne Turner-Stokes
author_facet Stephen Ashford
Barbara Singer
Hilary Rose
Lynne Turner-Stokes
author_sort Stephen Ashford
collection DOAJ
description Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) can result in severe physical impairment causing difficulty with moving which, if not actively managed, can lead to contracture and deformity. Delayed access to rehabilitation may result in more contracture, with potential to increase duration of rehabilitation, cost and therapy time required. Objective: Describe the amount of therapy input for patients undergoing specialist in-patient rehabilitation following ABI, the differences in the type of therapy received by people with and without contracture and/or spasticity, and the impacts on functional outcomes including care needs and cost of care. Materials and Methods: A cohort analysis of prospectively collected data from 426 patients with ABI in a UK tertiary inpatient rehabilitation program. The Neurological impairment Scale (NIS) was used to identify the presence of spasticity or contracture. The Northwick Park Therapy Dependency Assessment (NPTDA) was used to calculate the therapy hours and type of treatment provided to people with and without spasticity and/or contracture. Outcomes (change in function and independence) were compared including the UK Functional Assessment Measure (UK FIM+FAM). Results: The Male/Female ratio was 63:37% with a mean age: 44.0(SD 13) years and a mean length of stay in specialist inpatient rehabilitation: 103 (SD 49) days. Aetiology: Stroke (63%), Trauma (20%); Hypoxia (7%): Other (10%). Patients with contractures were significantly more dependent than those without, both on admission and discharge. They stayed on average 31 days longer (95%CI 21.1, 40.5) (P=0.001) with an additional mean episode cost of £25,588 (95%CI £18.085, 34,043) (P<0.001). Despite this, they made similar overall functional gains resulting in similar long-term savings in the cost of ongoing care. Conclusion: Routine collection of the NPTDA supported quantification of the impact of spasticity and contracture on therapy inputs, length of stay, functional gains, and costs. People with contractures following ABI require more therapy time in rehabilitation to achieve similar functional gains, but nevertheless were cost-efficient to treat.
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spelling doaj.art-968fad73570143a4b6f5e5cc1e4716212024-04-03T01:42:01ZengWolters Kluwer Health - Lippincott Williams WilkinsThe Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine2589-94572022-01-01539710410.4103/ijprm.JISPRM-000166The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitationStephen AshfordBarbara SingerHilary RoseLynne Turner-StokesBackground: Acquired brain injury (ABI) can result in severe physical impairment causing difficulty with moving which, if not actively managed, can lead to contracture and deformity. Delayed access to rehabilitation may result in more contracture, with potential to increase duration of rehabilitation, cost and therapy time required. Objective: Describe the amount of therapy input for patients undergoing specialist in-patient rehabilitation following ABI, the differences in the type of therapy received by people with and without contracture and/or spasticity, and the impacts on functional outcomes including care needs and cost of care. Materials and Methods: A cohort analysis of prospectively collected data from 426 patients with ABI in a UK tertiary inpatient rehabilitation program. The Neurological impairment Scale (NIS) was used to identify the presence of spasticity or contracture. The Northwick Park Therapy Dependency Assessment (NPTDA) was used to calculate the therapy hours and type of treatment provided to people with and without spasticity and/or contracture. Outcomes (change in function and independence) were compared including the UK Functional Assessment Measure (UK FIM+FAM). Results: The Male/Female ratio was 63:37% with a mean age: 44.0(SD 13) years and a mean length of stay in specialist inpatient rehabilitation: 103 (SD 49) days. Aetiology: Stroke (63%), Trauma (20%); Hypoxia (7%): Other (10%). Patients with contractures were significantly more dependent than those without, both on admission and discharge. They stayed on average 31 days longer (95%CI 21.1, 40.5) (P=0.001) with an additional mean episode cost of £25,588 (95%CI £18.085, 34,043) (P<0.001). Despite this, they made similar overall functional gains resulting in similar long-term savings in the cost of ongoing care. Conclusion: Routine collection of the NPTDA supported quantification of the impact of spasticity and contracture on therapy inputs, length of stay, functional gains, and costs. People with contractures following ABI require more therapy time in rehabilitation to achieve similar functional gains, but nevertheless were cost-efficient to treat.http://www.jisprm.org/article.asp?issn=2349-7904;year=2022;volume=5;issue=3;spage=97;epage=104;aulast=Ashfordacquired brain injurycontracturecostfunctional gainsspasticity
spellingShingle Stephen Ashford
Barbara Singer
Hilary Rose
Lynne Turner-Stokes
The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation
The Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
acquired brain injury
contracture
cost
functional gains
spasticity
title The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation
title_full The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation
title_fullStr The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation
title_full_unstemmed The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation
title_short The impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation
title_sort impact of spasticity and contractures on dependency and outcomes from rehabilitation
topic acquired brain injury
contracture
cost
functional gains
spasticity
url http://www.jisprm.org/article.asp?issn=2349-7904;year=2022;volume=5;issue=3;spage=97;epage=104;aulast=Ashford
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