[Disability after stroke: a longitudinal study in moderate and severe stroke patients included in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program]

Rev Neurol. 2017 May 1;64(9):385-392.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke is a recognized cause of disability among adults. However the impact that the deficits that occur after a moderate/severe stroke have on long-term disability, as well as the response of the resultant deficits to rehabilitation, are not completely understood.

Patients and methods: A total of 396 patients with a modified Rankin score >= 3 after an ischemic (n = 221) or hemorrhagic (n = 175) stroke were included in this study. All patients were assessed with cognitive, behavior, emotional, motor and functional domains. All patients were assessed at baseline and six months after inclusion in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program.

Results: Risk of falling (Berg Balance Scale < 45 in 83.1% of the sample at baseline and 49.5% at follow-up) and functional problems (82.8% with a Barthel Index < 75 at baseline and 53% at follow-up) were the most prevalent deficits. Emotional disturbances were those that most improved while behavioral problems were those that did less. Although global disability improved during treatment among most patients, only 11% of our patients, especially those with preserved cognitive function at baseline, could be classified as patients with mild disability at follow-up.

Conclusions: Stroke consequences are multidimensional. The symptoms that the stroke can cause in multiple domains, as well as the pattern of recovery are widely diverse, with prevalence of behavioral long-term disturbances.

Title: Ictus y discapacidad: estudio longitudinal en pacientes con discapacidad moderada-grave tras un ictus incluidos en un programa de rehabilitacion multidisciplinar.

Introduccion. Los ictus son causa frecuente de discapacidad en el adulto; sin embargo, la repercusion que los deficits que acontecen tras un ictus moderado-grave tiene sobre el grado de discapacidad final, asi como la respuesta de estos a programas de rehabilitacion, no se ha estudiado por completo. Pacientes y metodos. Se incluyeron 396 pacientes con Rankin modificado >= 3 despues de un ictus isquemico (n = 221) o hemorragico (n = 175). En todos los pacientes se evaluo su situacion cognitiva, conductual, emocional, motora y funcional. Todos los pacientes fueron incluidos en un programa de rehabilitacion multidisciplinar y reevaluados tras seis meses de tratamiento. Resultados. El riesgo de caida (escala de equilibrio de Berg < 45 en el 83,1% de la muestra) y los deficits funcionales (indice de Barthel < 75 en el 82,8% de la muestra) fueron los problemas mas prevalentes en el momento del ingreso, mientras que los conductuales lo fueron en el del alta (55,1% de la muestra). Los problemas emocionales fueron los que mas mejoraron, mientras que los conductuales fueron los que menos lo hicieron. El nivel de discapacidad global mejoro tras el tratamiento, aunque solo un 11% de los pacientes, especialmente los que tenian buena situacion cognitiva en el ingreso, lograron alcanzar una discapacidad leve. Conclusiones. Las consecuencias del ictus son multidimensionales. La afectacion de las distintas esferas y el patron de recuperacion son diferenciales, con predominio a largo plazo de los problemas conductuales.

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls / statistics & numerical data
  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Adult
  • Affective Symptoms / etiology
  • Affective Symptoms / rehabilitation
  • Aged
  • Brain Damage, Chronic / epidemiology
  • Brain Damage, Chronic / etiology*
  • Cognitive Reserve
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / etiology
  • Mental Disorders / rehabilitation
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Recovery of Function
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Spain
  • Stroke / complications*
  • Stroke / epidemiology
  • Stroke Rehabilitation*