title: Location and size of infarct on functional outcome of noncardioembolic ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies regarding the effects of location and size of infarct on the functional outcome after stroke have yielded inconsistent results. This study aimed to investigate the relationships of neuroimage findings and longitudinal Barthel index (BI) scores in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  The neuroimage findings of enrolled subjects were grouped by anatomical location. The size of infarct was determined by the largest diameter of the lesion. Patients were followed up prospectively at onset, 2 weeks, 1, 2, 4, and 6 months after stroke. Linear mixed model was employed for the repeated measurement analysis of BI at these six time points in each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 111 patients were enrolled. The BI increased rapidly during the first two months, and reached plateau after four months. The location and size of the lesion had significant effects on serial measurements of BI. After adjustment for age, sex, treatment mode, and baseline BI score, the posterior cerebral artery infarct group showed the largest improvement in BI. There was a trend that the smaller the lesion size, the more favourable the functional outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both location and size of lesion in noncardioembolic stroke were significant prognostic factors for functional outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shin-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Shwu-Chong
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tzy-Haw
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ti-Kai
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tony Hsiu-Hsi
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed