Recovery of motor function following stroke: Profile and predictors

Abstract

Two hundred and twenty-nine stroke patients admitted consecutively to a rehabilitation centre were studied in order to develop predictors of performance outcomes for stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation. The profile of the physical recovery of each patient together with the factors affecting this recovery were examined. Four aspects of physical recovery (the stages of recovery of the arm and leg, the gait, and the level of gross motor performance) were measured and six patient characteristics (time post-stroke, severity of paresis, degree of perceptual involvement, age, degree of sensory involvement, and side of hemiplegia) were investigated to determine if they were of predictive value. It was found that 70% of the patients were able to walk again, 24% regained independence in gross motor performance, adn 22% benefited from improved voluntary movement of the leg sufficient for ambulation, while only 5% retained arm function. Predictions regarding the outcome of the hemigplegic leg, gait and gross motor performance would probably be improved by a consideration of five of the six characteristics (time post-stroke, severity of paresis, degree of perceptual involvement, age, degree of sensory involvement); only the side of hemiplegia would fail to be of use in this respect. The authors note, however, that none of the characteristics investigated were found to be of use as predictors of the performance outcome of the hemiplegic arm.