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Abstract
Background and Objective To determine the relationship between physical activity (PA) and mortality in community-dwelling stroke survivors.
Methods The Canadian Community Health Survey was used to obtain self-reported PA across 4 survey years and was linked to administrative databases to obtain prior diagnosis of stroke and subsequent all-cause mortality. PA was measured as metabolic equivalents (METs) per week and meeting minimal PA guidelines was defined as 10 MET-h/wk. Cox proportional hazard regression models and restricted cubic splines were used to determine the relationship between PA and all-cause mortality in respondents with prior stroke and controls, adjusting for sociodemographic factors, comorbidities, and functional health status.
Results The cohort included 895 respondents with prior stroke and 97,805 controls. Adhering to PA guidelines was associated with lower hazard of death for those with prior stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29–0.73) and controls (aHR 0.69, 95% CI 0.62–0.76). There was a strong dose–response relationship in both groups, with a steep early slope and the vast majority of associated risk reduction occurring between 0 and 20 MET-h/wk. In the group of stroke respondents, PA was associated with greater risk reduction in those <75 years of age (aHR 0.21, 95% CI 0.10–0.43) compared to those ≥75 years of age (aHR 0.68, 95% CI 0.42–1.12).
Discussion PA was associated with lower all-cause mortality in an apparent dose-dependent manner among those with prior stroke, particularly in younger stroke survivors. Our findings support efforts towards reducing barriers to PA and implementation of PA programs for stroke survivors in the community.
Classification of Evidence This study provides Class III evidence that in community-dwelling survivors of stroke, adhering to physical activity guidelines was associated with lower hazard of death.
Glossary
- aHR=
- adjusted hazard ratio;
- CCHS=
- Canadian Community Health Survey;
- CI=
- confidence interval;
- CIHI-DAD=
- Canadian Institutes of Health Discharge Abstract Database;
- HR=
- hazard ratio;
- HUI3=
- Health Utilities Index Mark 3;
- ICD-9=
- International Classification of Diseases–9;
- ICD-10-CA=
- International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, Canada;
- IQR=
- interquartile range;
- MET=
- metabolic equivalent;
- NACRS=
- National Ambulatory Care Reporting System;
- PA=
- physical activity
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
Class of Evidence: NPub.org/coe
- Received January 18, 2021.
- Accepted in final form June 22, 2021.
- © 2021 American Academy of Neurology
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