title: Subjective health complaints predict functional outcome six months after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cerebrovascular stroke is a main cause of lasting disability in older age, and initial stroke severity has been established as a main determinant for the degree of functional loss. In this study, we searched for other predictors of functional outcome in a cohort of stroke patients participating in an early supported discharge randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty candidate variables related either to premorbid history or to the acute stroke were examined by ordered logistic regression in 229 stroke patients. Dependent variables were modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 6 months and mRS change from baseline to 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For mRS at 6 months, Barthel Index at stable baseline post-stroke was the main predictor, with sex, age, previous cerebrovascular disease, previous peripheral artery disease and the necessity for tube feeding in the acute phase also contributing to the final model. For mRS change, only age and previous cerebrovascular disease were significant predictors. Prestroke subjective health complaints added significantly to all final models concurrently with sex losing its predictive power.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initial stroke severity was the main predictor of functional outcome. Subjective health complaints score was a potent predictor for both outcome and improvement from baseline to 6 months and at the same time ameliorated the predictive impact of sex. The poorer functional prognosis for women after stroke may therefore be related to their higher load of subjective health complaints rather than to their sex itself. Treating these complaints may possibly improve the functional prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Physiotherapy Research Group, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: H
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9523-4421
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hofstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Centre for Age-related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naess
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Physiotherapy Research Group, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Physiotherapy, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: B E B
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Gjelsvik
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Lifestyle Epidemiology Research Group, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Eide
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Physiotherapy Research Group, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Skouen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: cerebrovascular diseases; rehabilitation; strokes; treatment