title: Effects of atrial fibrillation on the outcome of the rehabilitation in patients with cerebral infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of atrial fibrillation (Af) on the clinical characteristics and rehabilitation outcomes of patients with cerebral infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 87 of 101 consecutive patients with cerebral infarction admitted to the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation during their rehabilitation period. The patients were divided into two groups, Af and non-Af groups. We estimated characteristics of patient demographic features, disease duration, length of hospital stay, other comorbidities and risk factors for stroke, and functional status at admission and at discharge and compared those in patients with and without Af. Functional Independence Measure (FIM), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and the PULSES profile (PULSES) were used to evaluate functional status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number in the Af group was 20 (22.9%) and that of the non-Af group was 67 (77.1%). Demographic features, other comorbidities, motor function, cognitive function, neurological scales, and brain lesions did not differ significantly between the groups. The incidence of coronary artery disease and valvular heart disease were significantly correlated with the incidence of Af in multivariate analysis. Based on FIM, MBI, and PULSES scores, functional improvement in the Af group after rehabilitation was significantly less than that of the non-Af group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Af was shown to be associated with a markedly negative result in rehabilitation in patients with cerebral infarction. Thus, early recognition and proper treatment of Af may help patients achieve more effective rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ja-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Su-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Seo-Ra
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Ik
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Jung
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cerebral infarction; Rehabilitation outcomes