title: On the outcome in stroke patients one year later: the role of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: The post-stroke aftermath of patients suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF) is investigated. A total of 104 consecutive patients (80 with AF and 24 without AF) were referred to a rehabilitation centre and enrolled. They underwent a rehabilitative programme. Disability was assessed by using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), at the time of admission, discharge and after 1 year. Death was more frequent over the 1-year interval in AF group. Ten patients died (42%), whereas in the non-AF group death occurred in 15 cases (19%). By using chi-square test, the difference was significant (P < 0.02). The logistic regression analysis indicated that the unique variable affecting the FIM at follow-up was the FIM at discharge (P < 0.0001). AF was not a significant variable in the equation. The result can be attributed to subject attrition in the AF group, as the most severe patients died and survivors could benefit from a better functional status.
authors.affiliation: San Raffaele Pisana Clinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cisternino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giaquinto
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maiolo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valeriani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vittoria
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016896:Treatment Outcome