Investigation of factors affecting walking independence at discharge in hemiplegic stroke patients at the time of discharge from a convalescent rehabilitation ward using Welwalk WW-1000 ∼A study including patients with reduced cognitive and attentional functions∼

<p>Objective : This research aimed to investigate independently the factors that influence gait, and cutoff values in patients with stroke who underwent gait training using WelWalk WW-1000 (WW). It is based on various assessments, including cognitive and attentional functions, from the time of admission to the recovery phase rehabilitation ward.</p><p>Methods : We included 113 patients with stroke who presented with a Functional Independence Measure (FIM) gait score 4 or below, and needed to use Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (KAFO) for gait training. They underwent gait training using WW at least 10 times, and their communicative functions were sufficient. The assessment items to analyze were age, side of paralysis, Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS), FIM motor items, FIM cognitive items, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Catherine Bergego Scale, Trail Making Test Japanese version (TMT-J), and parameters calculated by WW. A binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted by dividing the participants into two groups depends on the final gait level at the time of discharge: the independent and non-independent group.</p><p>Results : The predictors were age (odds ratio: 0.880) and TMT-J part-A (odds ratio: 0.964). The cut off values were 68 years old in age, and 148 seconds in TMT-J part-A.</p><p>Conclusion : This study revealed that age, and cognitive and attentional functions are likely to be related to gait independently in patients with stroke using WW.</p>