A randomized trial on the efficacy of intensive rehabilitation in the acute phase of ischemic stroke.
Sixty patients admitted to hospital for hemispherical ischemic stroke causing severe disabilities were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided in two groups: A and B. The patients in group A were given intensive rehabilitative treatment; those in group B were given ordinary rehabilitative treatment. Both treatments lasted 14 days. At the end of that period, the patients of both groups were sent to the same rehabilitation center to continue treatment, using the same methods for all. The patients were evaluated by means of the modified N. I. H. Stroke Scale and the Barthel-Index on the day of enrollment, on the 14(th) and 180(th) day. The results obtained from intensive treatment were no better than those obtained from ordinary treatment. This study shows that there is no point in adopting an intensive rehabilitative treatment for an ischemic stroke in its acute phase: a more expensive and time-consuming effort does not in any way lead to a better outcome.
U. O. Neurologia, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Sebastiano, Via Palasciano, 81100 Caserta, Italy. andilauro@libero.it
Andrea
A
Di Lauro
Lorenzo
L
Pellegrino
Giuseppe
G
Savastano
Clemente
C
Ferraro
Michele
M
Fusco
Francesco
F
Balzarano
Mirella Marina
MM
Franco
Luciano Gaetano
LG
Biancardi
Alberto
A
Grasso
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome