| Methods |
RCT
Central randomisation system using random number sequence
Independent (single‐blind) follow‐up |
| Participants |
113 hospitalised stroke patients within 3 weeks of onset
Exclusion criteria: medically unstable, no rehabilitation needs
Characteristics: age 68 (SD 12) years, men 55%, baseline BI 14/20 (SD 4) |
| Interventions |
Intervention: community rehabilitation in‐reach team with specialist interest in rehabilitation. Team consisted of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, support staff and medical input. Work was co‐ordinated through weekly team meetings. Planning often included pre‐discharge home visit. Team co‐ordinated and delivered care
Control: conventional care comprised medical ward, geriatric medical ward, and stroke unit services. The majority of these patients were managed by a multidisciplinary team with a specialist interest in stroke and rehabilitation, which was co‐ordinated through weekly multidisciplinary team meetings and often included pre‐discharge home visits. Occasional day hospital follow‐up |
| Outcomes |
Outcomes recorded at 6 and 12 months: death, place of residence, dependency (modified Rankin score, Nottingham extended ADL score), subjective health status (SF36, Euroquol), carer health status (caregiver strain), patient and carer preference |
| Notes |
Main difference reported was that the intervention provided continuity of rehabilitation in community setting |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
"Computer generated randomly assigned care options" |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
"Administered solely by a named secretary. No research team member ... had access to this list" |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Not explicitly stated but probably not possible to blind participants and personnel |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
"Research nurses were blind at baseline to the particular group" |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
ITT analysis |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
All pre‐specified outcomes were reported |
