EFFECT OF MODIFIABLE AND NON- MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF STROKE REHABILITATION

Hypothesis: The old myth that the survival of patients with complete stroke is not sufficiently long enough to justify the great expenses and efforts of rehabilitation has been disproved by recent studies which show that at least 50 percent of the survivors lived for 7.5 years or longer. The risk factors may act as stroke outcome predictors and hence determine the intensity and type of rehabilitation program. Objective: To investigate the stroke outcome predictors that will define groups of patients with maximal or minimal benefit from rehabilitation of stroke. Methodology: This prospective study included 115 Ischemic stroke patients attending the Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Zagazig University Hospitals, Zagazig Health Insurance Hospital and Zagazig Rehabilitation Centre, Ministry of Social Affairs, Egypt during 2005-2006. All the patients were subjected to full history and clinical examination and routine investigations. We analyzed the influence of modifiable risk factors: diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and the duration before rehabilitation and non modifiable factors; age, sex and side of lesion on stroke outcome. All patients received regular rehabilitation and an evaluation at enrolling and