Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2007 , Vol 53 , Num 2

Impact of Delayed Initiation to Stroke Rehabilitation on Functional Outcomes and Medical Complications

Sedat Yıldız 1 ,Serpil Savaş 2 ,Selami AKKUŞ 3 ,Feray Cinevre Soyupek 1 ,Erdem İlgün 4
1 Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Isparta
2 Department of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation, Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey
3 Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, Türkiye
4 Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Edirne

Objective: To examine the effects of delayed admission to rehabilitation on functional outcomes and medical complications in stroke patients. 
 

Materials and Methods: The inpatient discharge records of 60 stroke patients who admitted to a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department for first ever unilateral stroke patients were reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups as early (<30 days) and delayed admission group (>30 days) based on the length of time from stroke event to admission to the rehabilitation unit. Potential differences between early and delayed admission groups were examined in terms of demographic and clinical features, rehabilitation outcomes and medical complications.
 

Results: The patients beginning rehabilitation in the first month following stroke had a better Functional Independent Measurement Scores gain than the patients beginning rehabilitation longer than one month (12.65±5.59 vs. 8.59±5.50, p=0.008). The number of complications was higher in the delayed admission group than the early admission group (3.16±1.36 vs. 1.91±1.12, p=0.001). Shoulder pain and spastic upper limb was detected more frequently in patients with delayed group (p=0.01 and p=0.01, respectively).
 

Conclusion: Delayed admission time to rehabilitation caused poorer functional outcomes, increased number of medical complications in stroke patients. 

Keywords : Stroke, rehabilitation, functional outcomes, complications