These acute stroke care units were resourced according to recommended staff-patient ratios. Patients received little therapy and had low levels of physical activity.
Background and Purpose-Very early rehabilitation, with an emphasis on mobilization, may contribute to improved outcomes after stroke. We hypothesized that a very early rehabilitation protocol would be safe and feasible. Methods-We performed a randomized, controlled trial with blinded outcome assessment. Patients at Ͻ24 hours after stroke were recruited from 2 Melbourne metropolitan stroke units. Patients were randomly assigned to receive standard care (SC) or SC plus very early mobilization (VEM) until discharge or 14 days (whichever was sooner). The primary safety outcome was the number of deaths at 3 months. The primary feasibility outcome was a higher "dose" of mobilization achieved in VEM. Secondary safety outcomes included adverse events (including falls and early neurologic deterioration), compliance with physiologic monitoring criteria, and patient fatigue after interventions. Secondary feasibility outcomes included "contamination" of standard care. Results-Overall, 18% of patients screened were suitable for recruitment. Seventy-one patients were recruited and randomized, with 2 dropouts by 12 months. The majority experienced ischemic strokes (87%). The group meanϮSD age was 74.7Ϯ12.5 years, and 58% (nϭ41) had a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score Ͼ7. There was no significant difference in the number of deaths between groups (SC, 3 of 33; VEM, 8 of 38; Pϭ0.20). Almost all deaths occurred in patients with severe stroke. Secondary safety outcomes were similar between groups. The intervention protocol was successfully delivered, achieving VEM dose targets (double SC, Pϭ0.003) and faster time to first mobilization (PϽ0.001).
Conclusions-VEM
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