title: Long-term functional outcomes of patients with very mild stroke: does a NIHSS score of 0 mean no disability? An interim analysis of the KOSCO study.
abstract: To explore the long-term functional outcomes of stroke patients with very mild severity at 6 months after stroke.
  
  
  
  This study presents the interim results of the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation. On day 7, stroke evaluation was performed using the functional assessment battery including the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). At 6 months after stroke, functional outcomes using the face-to-face functional assessment battery including Functional Independence Measure (FIM) were analyzed in the patients who had a score of 0 on the NIHSS at 7 days after stroke onset.
  
  
  
  In the very mild stroke group, 455 patients were followed up at 6 months. Out of these patients, 11.0% had impairments in cognitive function, 14.1% had motor impairment, and 2.1% had impairments in their mobility measured by the functional assessment battery. At 6 months after onset, 3.3% of stroke survivors without recurrence showed dependency according to the FIM.
  
  
  
  Many acute stroke patients with mild stroke severity as assessed by the NIHSS had impairments in various functional domains, and could have been easily overlooked for intensive rehabilitation therapy. Candidates for comprehensive rehabilitation therapy might be better identified by the functional assessment battery. Implications for rehabilitation Many acute stroke patients with mild stroke severity assessed by NIHSS could be easily overlooked for intensive rehabilitation therapy. Candidates for comprehensive rehabilitation therapy should be evaluated using a functional assessment battery rather than the NIHSS.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine , Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won Hyuk
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: b Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , School of Medicine, Chungnam National University , Daejeon , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Kyun
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: c Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Konkuk University School of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jongmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: d Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine , Yonsei University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Deog Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: e Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine , Chonnam National University Medical School , Gwangju , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sam-Gyu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: f Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital , Busan , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: g Department of Preventive Medicine , Wonkwang University School of Medicine , Iksan , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gyung-Jae
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: h Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital , Daegu , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yang-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: i Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Wonkwang University School of Medicine , Iksan , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Cheol
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.affiliation: j Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Jeju National University Hospital, University of Jeju School of Medicine , Jeju , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: i Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Wonkwang University School of Medicine , Iksan , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Su
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: k Center for Cardiovascular and Stroke Imaging , Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Shin Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine , Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine , Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.|l Department of Health Science and Technology, Department of Medical Device Management & Research , SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: Cohort; function; independence; stroke; very mild severity