title: The effect of prolonged inpatient rehabilitation therapy in subacute stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of prolonged inpatient rehabilitation therapy in subacute stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 52 subacute stroke patients who had received 3 months of inpatient rehabilitation therapy. Thirty stroke patients received additional inpatient rehabilitation therapy for 3 months and 22 control patients received only home-based care. The evaluation was measured at 3 and at 6 months after stroke occurrence. Functional improvement was measured using the modified motor assessment scale (MMAS), the timed up and go test (TUG), the 10-meter walking time (10 mWT), the Berg balance scale (BBS) and the Korean-modified Barthel index (K-MBI). The health-related quality of life was evaluated using the medical outcome study, 36-item short form survey (SF-36).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the experimental group, significant improvements were observed for all parameters at 6 months (p<0.05). However, significant improvements were observed only in MMAS, BBS, and K-MBI at 6 months in the Control group (p<0.05). In comparing the 2 groups, significant difference were observed in all parameters (p<0.05) except 10 meter walking time (p=0.73). The improvement in SF-36 was meaningfully higher in experimental group compared to control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that subacute stroke patients can achieve functional improvements and an enhanced quality of life through prolonged inpatient rehabilitation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dong-A University College of Medicine and Regional CardioCerebroVascular Center, Dong-A University Hospital, Busan 602-715, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Beom
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyeong Woo
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Yeong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee