The Berg Balance Scale as a predictor of length of stay and discharge destination in an acute stroke rehabilitation setting

Objective: To examine the utility of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in predicting length of stay and discharge destination for patients admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Regional tertiary inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit. Patients: One hundred twenty-eight of 141 patients admitted consecutively between January 1, 1995, and March 31, 1996. Main Outcome Measures: Length of stay and discharge destination. Results: Admission BBS scores and Functional Independence Measure scores correlated with length of stay (r = -0.6 and -0.5, respectively, controlling for age). Logistic regression revealed that the following were independent predictors of being discharged home rather than to an institution (adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval): admission BBS (1.09, 1.04-1.13), age (.89,.83-.95), and presence of family support (11.7, 3. 1-44.3). Conclusions: Measuring the BBS scores of patients upon admission to an acute stroke rehabilitation unit may assist in approximating length of stay and predicting eventual discharge destination. (C) 1999 by the American Congress of-Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.