The Effect of Complications of Stroke Patients on Prognosis during Rehabilitation Management

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate complications of stroke patients with regard to incidence, predisposing risk factors and their effect on the patients's prognosis during rehabilitation management. METHOD: Two hundred fifty nine patients with stroke admitted to Department of Rehabilitation Medicine were included in this study. We analyzed types of stroke, incidence of complications, outcome of rehabilitation treatment and the length of the hospital stay. RESULTS: Of the 259 patients who had received rehabilitation, shoulder pain occurred in 59 patients (22.8%), depressions in 24 (9.3%), falls in 24 (9.3%) and pneumonia in 21 (8.1%); 112 patients (42.9%) had a total of 174 complications. The incidence of complication was higher in patients who had lower initial FIM score or previous cardiac disease. The patients with complication had longer rehabilitation hospital stay and lower FIM gain and efficacy. CONCLUSION: Early detection and treatment of the complications of acute stroke patients during rehabilitation will shorten the length of the hospital stay and improve the overall prognosis of the patients.