Determining optimal Barthel Index cutoff scores for predicting Longshi Scale grades across age groups in stroke patients

Background: The Barthel Index (BI) is a standard, widely used measure of dependence in activities of daily living (ADL), particularly in stroke care. The Longshi Scale (LS) offers a simpler, more user-friendly alternative; however, it lacks a validated, age-stratified mapping to BI scores. This gap limits consistent outcome interpretation and application. Objective: This study aims to establish and validate a standardized, age-stratified concordance between BI scores and LS grades, thereby providing a practical conversion tool for clinical and research settings. Method: In a multi-center study of 16,412 stroke inpatients (3 months post-stroke), BI scores and LS grades were analyzed across age groups: 0.95). Conclusion: The study provides age-stratified BI cutoff values to guide resource allocation, emphasizing the need to prioritize care for individuals aged ≥80 years with BI scores below 5.