title: Assessment of demographic and clinical characteristics on functional status and disability of patients with stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of demographic and clinical characteristics on mobility, disability, and activities of daily life of patients with stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional clinical study was performed in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine in Adana, Turkey, between February 2011 and December 2011. The study included 126 patients with stroke. The Brunnstrom recovery scale (BRS), functional ambulation classification scale (FACS), modified Barthel index (MBI), modified Rankin scale (MRS), and Rivermead mobility index (RMI) were used in the evaluation of the functional status of stroke patients. Correlations between each scale and parameters including age, etiology, and duration of hemiplegia were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The major etiology of stroke was found as ischemic (77%). Hypertension was a major risk factor in both genders (72% for males, 85% for females). Statistically significant differences were found between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients regarding the RMI, MBI, BRS, and the FACS (p<0.001). Age had a poor negative correlation with the FACS and RMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that age is an important risk factor for the development of stroke, but it has no strong effect on functional status and disability in patients with stroke. The BRS, FACS, MBI, MRS, and RMI scales can be used in stroke patients whether they are under or over 65 years old in order to evaluate functional status and disability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Adana Numune Education and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Memis
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kozanoglu
authors.forename: Bayram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kelle
authors.forename: Mustafa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Goncu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology