Association Between Leisure-Time Physical Activity and All-Cause Mortality Among Stroke Survivors: Findings From National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability globally. But little is known about the optimal level of physical activity for stroke survivors. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the dose-response relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and all-cause mortality in stroke survivors.

Methods: One-thousand six hundred and sixty-four stroke survivors form from the 1999 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were classified into 6 groups: 0, 1 to 149, 150 to 299, 300 to 599, 600 to 899, and ≥900 minutes per week (based on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire). Cox proportional hazards regression models with different adjustments of covariates were used to investigate the association between LTPA and all-cause mortality.

Results: Except for stroke survivors with LTPA levels ranging from 600 to 899 minutes per week (P = .055), there was a significant difference in survival rates among stroke survivors with different levels of LTPA compared with those without LTPA. Stroke survivors engaging in LTPA levels exceeding 900 minutes per week exhibited the greatest benefit compared with stroke survivors who did not engage in LTPA (hazard ratio = 0.225; 95% confidence interval, 0.122-0.414).

Conclusions: Our research findings add to the expanding evidence base that highlights the favorable connection between LTPA and decreased risk of all-cause mortality among individuals who have survived a stroke. Our study emphasizes the significance of incorporating physical activity interventions into the poststroke care regimen and underscores the potential advantages of personalized activity guidance.