Early Occupational Therapy Intervention post-stroke (EOTIPS): A randomized controlled trial

by Patricia García-Pérez, María Carmen Rodríguez-Martínez, Alejandro Gallardo-Tur, Encarnación Blanco-Reina, Carlos de la Cruz-Cosme, José Pablo Lara

Background

Occupational therapy (OT) is an effective evidence-based intervention that positively influences stroke patients’independence recovery, leading to new opportunities for better quality of life outcomes.

Objectives

To explore the effectiveness of an early OT intervention program (EOTIPS) in the process of hospital to home discharge after stroke in Spain.

Material and methods

We conducted a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial that included 60 adults who suffered a stroke and were discharged home. Participants assigned to the experimental group (n = 30) were included in EOTIPS and compared with a control group (n = 30). Evaluations assessed quality of life (Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale [SAQOL-39]), functional independence (Modified Rankin Scale [mRS], Barthel Index [BI] and Stroke Impact Scale-16 [SIS-16]), perceptual-cognitive skills (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]), upper limb function (Fugl Meyer Assessment [FMA]), mobility (Berg Balance Scale [BBS] and Timed Up & Go [TUG]), communication skills (Communicative Activity Log [CAL]) and mood disorders (Beck Depression Inventory–II [BDI-II] and Hamilton Anxiety Scale [HAM-A]); they were completed within two weeks post-stroke and after three months follow-up. Statistical analysis included intent-to-treat analysis, considering all participants (dropouts as failures), and efficacy analysis, considering only end-of-treatment participants.

Results

Participants in the intervention group showed a significant better evolution in the main outcome measure of quality of life (SAQOL-39 p = .029), as well as for independence (mRSp = .004), perceptual-cognitive skills (MoCA p = .012)and symptoms of depression (BDI-II p = .011) compared to the control group.

Conclusions

EOTIPS was effective in improving quality of life, as well as enhancing perceptual-cognitive skills, independence and reducing levels of depression for patients who suffered a stroke in a Spanish cohort and could be considered as an applicable non-pharmacologic therapeutic tool that can lead to patients’ positive outcomes after stroke.This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT04835363.