BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke clinicians need access to cost-effective, accurate, and time-efficient tools that can assist with cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O 2 peak) screening. The associations and diagnostic metrics between physical activity as measured by the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD) and V̇O 2 peak among individuals ≥6 months post-stroke were evaluated.
METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of an randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants' baseline age, sex, gait speed, V̇O 2 peak, and PASIPD were included in adjusted logistic regression analyses. The association between the PASIPD (MET-hours/day) and V̇O 2 peak at 15, 12, and 18 mL/kg/min was evaluated to reflect the average, lower, and upper limits of V̇O 2 peak post-stroke, respectively. Predicted classifications and the Youden index identified cut points of the PASIPD.
RESULTS: Eighty-five participants (n =53 males, aged 65.1 ± 9.5 years, 1.8 ± 1.2 years post-stroke) were included. A 1-unit increase in the PASIPD (MET-hours/day) was significantly associated with 21% increased odds of identifying an individual with a V̇O 2 peak ≥ 15 mL/kg/min (adjusted OR [aOR] = 1.21; 95% CI 1.07, 1.36; P = .002) with excellent area under the curve (AUC = 0.91; 95% CI 0.85, 0.97). Consistent associations were found for a V̇O 2 peak ≥ 12 mL/kg/min (aOR = 1.15; 95% CI 1.01, 1.14; P = .046) but not for V̇O 2 peak ≥ 18 mL/kg/min (aOR = 1.04; 95% CI 0.99, 1.10; P = .15). Unadjusted Youden PASIPD cut point of 8.9 MET-hours/day may identify individuals with a V̇O 2 peak ≥ 15 mL/kg/min post-stroke (AUC = 0.69; 95% CI 0.59, 0.79).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians may use the PASIPD to screen V̇O 2 peak impairments post-stroke.