Article

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation between baseline cardiovascular fitness
and functional status, and whether baseline cardiovascular fitness is of
predictive value in terms of functional recovery after rehabilitation in subacute
stroke patients. METHOD: This study was a descriptive, observational cohort
study. Fifty-five subacute stroke patients (37 males and 18 females; average age,
62.2 years) were enrolled for this study, and all subjects underwent
symptom-limited low-velocity graded treadmill testing. Baseline assessments
included cardiovascular fitness, 6-min walk test (6MWT), Korean-Modified Barthel
Index (K-MBI) and Motricity Index (MI). Four weeks after rehabilitation, K-MBI
was measured repeatedly. RESULTS: Mean peak oxygen consumption (Vo2 peak) was
19.7 +/- 6.7 mL/kg/min. Baseline K-MBI correlated significantly with Vo2 peak,
peak heart rate (HR), 6MWT and MI, and in regression analysis, Vo2 peak and MI
were significant independent predictors of baseline K-MBI. Follow-up K-MBI
correlated significantly with Vo2 peak, peak HR, peak rate pressure product,
6MWT, baseline K-MBI and MI, and in linear regression analysis, Vo2 peak and
baseline K-MBI were significant independent predictors of follow-up K-MBI.
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that baseline cardiovascular fitness
correlates significantly with the baseline functional status, in addition to
being an important prognostic factor regarding the functional recovery of
subacute stroke patients.

Langue : ANGLAIS