Purpose To evaluate the inter-rater reliability and predictive validity of the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI) in patients after stroke. Methods One hundred sixty-one patients were selected for consecutive application of the FAI and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Spearman’s test was used for correlation between different scales. The FAI and NIHSS association was evaluated using ordinal logistic regression. Additionally, 36 patients underwent FAI rating on the same day by two independent evaluators. Results A negative correlation between the FAI and the NIHSS scores (p = 0.017 r = -0.22) was found. Adjusting all variables with possible association with the NIHSS, ordinal logistic regression showed that the FAI had a significant association with NIHSS scores (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.99, p: 0.033). The inter-rater agreement was considered good, k = 0.66 (0.54 to 0.78), p < 0.001. Conclusions The FAI is a valid and useful method to assess instrumental activities before acute stroke in a Brazilian population.

Background. Stroke patients present restriction of mobility in the acute phase, and the use of a simple and specific scale can be useful to guide rehabilitation. Objective. To validate and propose a Hospital Mobility Scale (HMS) for ischemic stroke patients as well as to evaluate the HMS as a prognostic indicator. Methods. This study was performed in 2 phases: in the first, we developed the HMS content, and in the second, we defined its score and evaluated its psychometric properties. We performed a longitudinal prospective study consisting of 2 cohorts (derivation and validation cohorts). The data were collected in a stroke unit, and the following scales were applied during hospitalization: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale to quantify stroke severity and the HMS to verify the degree of mobility. The primary outcome was the proportion of unfavorable functional outcomes, defined as a modified Barthel Index of <95. Results. We defined 3 tasks for HMS: sitting, standing, and gait. In the derivation cohort, the HMS presented an accuracy of 84.5% measured using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95% CI = 78.3-90.7; P < .001), whereas in the validation cohort the accuracy was 87.8% (95% CI = 81.9%-93.7%; P < .001). The HMS presented a large standardized effect size (1.41) and excellent interexaminer agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.962; 95% CI = 0.917-0.983; P < .001). Conclusion. The HMS was able to predict accurately the functional outcome of poststroke patients, presented excellent interexaminer agreement, and was sensitive in detecting changes.

Patients with poor TUG performance, longer times since stroke onset, and right-hemisphere injury have particularly high fall rates, and TUG cutoff points for fall prediction vary according to cerebral hemisphere.