Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS INFLUENCING FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN CEREBRAL STROKE PATIENTS USING MODIFIED RANKIN SCALE

Sridhar Srimath Tirumala Konduru*, Amit Ranjan, Anusha Bollisetty, Vineela Yadla

ABSTRACT

A prospective observational study was conducted at Shivaranjani Superspeciality hospital, Bhimavaram, to assess the functional outcomes in cerebral stroke patients using modified Rankin Scale (mRS)-9Q questionnaire and to evaluate the difference in patient functional improvement according to their age, gender, severity, type of stroke and co-morbid conditions using mRS scores. Data on 90 cerebral stroke patients were analyzed according to patient’s age, gender, type of stroke, severity and co-morbid conditions. Initial and final mRS scores and progress in patient’s functional abilities were recorded, compared and analyzed. Patients presented with high mRS scores (mean-3.46±0.83) before the initiation of medical therapy indicating moderately severe disability and was minimally high in the following patients subgroups- age>65 years (3.31±1.20), females (3.44±0.91), hemiplegic patients (3.50±0.81), ischemic stroke patients (3.53±0.83) and patients with 2 or more co-morbid conditions (3.46±0.76). The mean mRS score at the end of the medical therapy was 2.05±1.04 showing significant functional gain of 1.41 in mRS scores. Individual medical therapy if initiated on time and to the extent of patient needs proved to be useful in all the patients regardless of their age, gender, co-morbid conditions, severity and type of stroke.

Keywords: Cerebral stroke, modified Rankin Scale, Functional outcomes.