Rehabilitation in severely disabled stroke patients: Is it cost-effective?

This paper evaluates reduction of disability, length of rehabilitation treatment ad discharge home of severely disabled stroke patients. 883 consecutive first-ictus subjects from 19 Italian Intensive Rehabilitation units were ranked in five disability groups according to BI score: very severe: 0-4, severe: 5-9, moderate: 10-14, mild: 15-19, no disability: 20. The first two groups included 367 and 280 patients. Their length of rehabilitation was 63 and 54 days. Of the very severe, 67% improved, 37% to moderate and better. The corresponding figure of the severe where 88 and 51%. The first group had a rate of discharge home of 57%, the second 82%. Based on this evidence, the higher short term cost of intensive rehabilitation can be offset by long term savings.