Table 1 Summary of studies investigating the responsiveness of physical performance measures during inpatient care after stroke, n = 21

Seated Reach

Modified Functional Reach Test

Katz-Leurer 2009 [14]

Inpatient rehabilitation

14-21 days post stroke

n = 35

6 wks, Reach direction:

Paretic side, ES = 0.80

Forward, ES = 0.60

Non-paretic side, ES = 0.57

Balance

PCBS

Pyoria 2005 [15]

Acute neurological ward

7 days post stroke

n = 50

7-120 days, p <0.001

n = 42

120–360 days, p >0.05

n = 42

7–360, p <0.001

BBS

Salbach 2001 [16]

Acute care hospital

<8 days (as soon as ambulatory)

n = 50

4 wks, SRM=1.04

Stevenson 2001 [10]

Stroke Unit (rehabilitation)

Admission, mean 30.3 days (SD 23.3)

n = 45

1-2 wks, p < 0.001

Mao 2002 [17]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 110

14 to 30 days, ES = 0.80

n = 93

30 to 90 days, ES = 0.69

n = 80

90 to 180 days, ES = 0.40

n = 93

14 to 90 days, ES = 1.07

n = 80

14 to 180 days, ES = 1.11

English 2006 [11]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Within 1 wk of admission

n = 61

Within 1 wk of discharge (mean time admission to discharge 56.4+/− 38.1 days), ES = 1.01

Wood-Dauphinee1996 [18]

Acute hospital inpatients

<2 wks post stroke

n = 60

2wks to 6wks, ES = 0.66, SRM = 0.81

6wks to 12wks, ES = 0.25, SRM = 0.69

2wks to 12wks, ES = 0.97, SRM = 1.08

BBS-3P

Wang 2004 [19]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 202

14 to 30 days, SRM = 0.82

n = 167

30 to 90 days, SRM = 0.70

n = 167

90 to 180 days, SRM = 1.11

SFBBS

Chou 2006 [20]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 81

14 to 90 days.

14-item BBS, ES = 0.85

7-item BBS, ES = 0.78

6-item BBS, ES = 0.78

5-item BBS, ES = 0.70

4-item BBS, ES = 0.69

FM-B

Mao 2002 [17]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 110

14 to 30 days, ES = 0.82

n = 93

30 to 90 days, ES = 0.63

n = 80

90 to 180 days, ES = 0.33

n = 93

14 to 90 days, ES = 1.06

n = 80

14 to 180 days, ES = 1.14

SBM

Chien 2007 [21]

Inpatient rehabilitation

< 3 months (mean 41.1 +/− 17.6)

n = 40

2wks,

Equilibrium score, ES = 0.63

Limits of stability time, ES = 0.27

Limits of stability path, ES = 0.33

Weight shifting, ES = 0.04-0.29

Walking

10mWT

Goldie 1996 [22]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Start of rehabilitation, median 16.5 days of hospitalization

n = 42

8 wks, ES=1.17

Salbach 2001 [16]

Acute care hospital

<8 days (as soon as ambulatory)

n = 50

4wks, Comfortable pace, ES = 0.74, SRM = 0.92

4wks, Maximum pace, ES = 0.55, SRM = 0.83

5mWT

Salbach 2001 [16]

Acute care hospital

<8 days (as soon as ambulatory)

n = 50

4wks, Comfortable pace, ES = 0.83, SRM = 1.22

4wks, Maximum pace, ES = 0.66, SRM = 1.00

English 2006 [11]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Within 1 wk of admission

n = 61

Within 1 wk of discharge (mean time admission to discharge 56.4+/− 38.1 days), ES = 0.81

2MWT

Kosak 2005 [23]

Inpatient rehabilitation

28 days (+/− 34 days)

n = 18

4 wks, SRM=1.34

6MWT

Kosak 2005 [23]

Inpatient rehabilitation

28 days (+/− 34 days)

n = 18

4 wks, SRM=1.52

12MWT

Kosak 2005 [23]

Inpatient rehabilitation

28 days (+/− 34 days)

n = 18

4wks, SRM = 1.90

FAC

Kollen 2006 [24]

Hospital inpatients

<14 days (mean days post stroke = 8.2 (SD 2.8)

n = 101

4-26wks (weekly in weeks 1–10, fortnightly in weeks 10–20, once at week 26).

Responsiveness ratios based on a 10% MCID exceeded the smallest detectable difference and ranged from 4.36 to 17.70.

Mehrholz 2007 [25]

Early rehabilitation centre

30-60 days

n = 55

2wks SRM=1.016

2wks to 4wks SRM = 0.842

4wks to 6mths SRM = 0.699

Multiple

Modified EFAM

Liaw 2005 [26]

Subacute stroke inpatients

Admission

n = 40

Discharge, SRM = 1.1

MAS

English 2006 [11]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Within 1 wk of admission

n = 61

Within 1 wk of discharge (mean time admission to discharge 56.4+/− 38.1 days).

Item 1, ES = 1.03

Item 2, ES = 0.74

Item 3, ES = 0.61

Item 4, ES = 0.85

Item 5, ES = 1.02

RMA

Kurtais 2009 [12]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Median 2 months (mean 5.6, SD 11.2, range 0.5 to 78 months)

n = 107

Discharge.

RMA – gross function, ES = 0.51, SRM = 0.83

RMA – leg and trunk, ES = 0.45, SRM = 0.86

RMI

Hsueh 2003 [27]

Hospital inpatients

14 days

n = 43-51

30 days, SRM=1.14

90 days, SRM=0.86

180 days, SRM=0.24

Hsieh 2000 [13]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Admission to rehabilitation, median 24 days post stroke (range 7 – 53 days)

n = 38

Discharge, ES = 1.28

Multiple

Franchignoli 2003 [28]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Admission

n = 73

5 wks, ES = 0.89

MRMI

Hsueh 2003 [27]

Hospital inpatients

14 days

n = 43-51

30 days, SRM=1.31

90 days, SRM=0.83

180 days, SRM=0.20

Lennon 2000 [29]

Inpatient rehabilitation

Admission

n = 16

Discharge, ES=1.15

PASS

Wang 2004 [19]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 202

14 to 30 days, SRM = 0.84

n = 167

30 to 90 days, SRM = 0.65

n = 167

90 to 180 days, SRM = 1.02

Mao 2002 [17]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 110

14 to 30 days, ES = 0.89

n = 93

30 to 90 days, ES = 0.64

n = 80

90 to 180 days, ES = 0.31

n = 93

14 to 90 days, ES = 1.07

n = 80

14 to 180 days, ES = 1.12

Chien 2007 [21]

Inpatient rehabilitation

< 3 months (mean 41.1 days +/− 17.6)

n = 40

2wks, ES = 0.41

PASS–3P

Wang 2004 [19]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 202

14 to 30 days, SRM = 0.86

n = 167

30 to 90 days, SRM = 0.67

n = 167

90 to 180 days, SRM = 1.04

6 SFPASS

Chien 2007 [30]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 262

30 days, ES = 0.43-0.44

PASS-TC

Wang 2005 [31]

Hospital inpatients

14 days post stroke

n = 246

14 to 30 days, SRM = 0.65

n = 203

30 to 90 days, SRM = 0.42

n = 189

90 to 180 days, SRM = 0.02