title: Functional Status and Disability in Patients After Acute Stroke: A Longitudinal Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke is a major public health problem.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To use the Barthel Index to evaluate basic activities of daily living in stroke survivors and detect any predictors of functional outcome at 6 months after stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an observational longitudinal study, data were gathered on consecutive patients admitted to the comprehensive stroke unit at Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained prospectively at hospital admission and during follow-up 6 months later. Information on type of stroke, score on the Barthel Index, findings from the neurological evaluation, and other relevant data were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 236 patients admitted, 175 participated in the study. Mean age was 69.60 (SD, 12.52) years, 64.6% were men, and mortality was 12.8%. Six months after experiencing a stroke, 84.8% of patients had returned to their own homes, 8.0% were institutionalized, and the others were residing at a family member's home. Scores on the Barthel Index 6 months after stroke correlated with baseline scores on the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (r = -0.424; P < .001) and with depressive mood 6 months after stroke (r = -0.318; P < .001). Age was negatively associated with Barthel Index scores at the time of hospital discharge and 6 months after stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional status 6 months after stroke was influenced by age, sex, stroke severity, type of stroke, baseline status, mood, and social risk. Comorbid conditions, socioeconomic level, and area of residence did not affect patients' functional status.
authors.affiliation: Fidel López-Espuela is research nurse, Juan Diego Pedrera-Zamorano is head of the nursing department, Pedro Enrique Jiménez-Caballero, José María Ramírez-Moreno, and Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca are neurologists, Jesús María Lavado-García is vice dean of the nursing school, and Ignacio Casado-Naranjo is head of the department of neurology, Stroke Unit, Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain. fidel.lopez.es@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fidel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Espuela
authors.affiliation: Fidel López-Espuela is research nurse, Juan Diego Pedrera-Zamorano is head of the nursing department, Pedro Enrique Jiménez-Caballero, José María Ramírez-Moreno, and Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca are neurologists, Jesús María Lavado-García is vice dean of the nursing school, and Ignacio Casado-Naranjo is head of the department of neurology, Stroke Unit, Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Diego
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pedrera-Zamorano
authors.affiliation: Fidel López-Espuela is research nurse, Juan Diego Pedrera-Zamorano is head of the nursing department, Pedro Enrique Jiménez-Caballero, José María Ramírez-Moreno, and Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca are neurologists, Jesús María Lavado-García is vice dean of the nursing school, and Ignacio Casado-Naranjo is head of the department of neurology, Stroke Unit, Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro Enrique
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Caballero
authors.affiliation: Fidel López-Espuela is research nurse, Juan Diego Pedrera-Zamorano is head of the nursing department, Pedro Enrique Jiménez-Caballero, José María Ramírez-Moreno, and Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca are neurologists, Jesús María Lavado-García is vice dean of the nursing school, and Ignacio Casado-Naranjo is head of the department of neurology, Stroke Unit, Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Fidel López-Espuela is research nurse, Juan Diego Pedrera-Zamorano is head of the nursing department, Pedro Enrique Jiménez-Caballero, José María Ramírez-Moreno, and Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca are neurologists, Jesús María Lavado-García is vice dean of the nursing school, and Ignacio Casado-Naranjo is head of the department of neurology, Stroke Unit, Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Portilla-Cuenca
authors.affiliation: Fidel López-Espuela is research nurse, Juan Diego Pedrera-Zamorano is head of the nursing department, Pedro Enrique Jiménez-Caballero, José María Ramírez-Moreno, and Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca are neurologists, Jesús María Lavado-García is vice dean of the nursing school, and Ignacio Casado-Naranjo is head of the department of neurology, Stroke Unit, Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lavado-García
authors.affiliation: Fidel López-Espuela is research nurse, Juan Diego Pedrera-Zamorano is head of the nursing department, Pedro Enrique Jiménez-Caballero, José María Ramírez-Moreno, and Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca are neurologists, Jesús María Lavado-García is vice dean of the nursing school, and Ignacio Casado-Naranjo is head of the department of neurology, Stroke Unit, Hospital San Pedro de Alcantara, Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casado-Naranjo
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*