An Assessment of Functional Status of Stroke Patients Using the Functional Independence Measure on the Hospitalization, Discharge, and Three Months Post-Stroke: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

FIM on the Hospitalization, Discharge, and Three Months Post-Stroke

Abstract

Stroke is one of the leading causes of impairment in the world, with effects on the motor functions, cognitive and mental processes, and the general quality of life of the patients. Objectives: To determine the full functional condition of stroke patients through the change in the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores at the time of admission, discharge, and three months post-stroke. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted on 108 patients with ischemic stroke in the age group of 18-75 years, at the Department of Neurology, Services Hospital, Lahore. Functional independence was assessed with the FIM scale thrice, on admission, at discharge from the hospital, and three months post-stroke. Repeated ANOVA and paired t-tests were used to compare the changes in FIM scores over time. Results: The average age of the participants was 58.4 years with a standard deviation of 10.2, and men made up 61.1% of the sample. The mean FIM scores did increase significantly between 86.33 +/-14.5 at the time of admission and 102.7 ± 16.5 at discharge, and 118.9 ± 15.8 at three months after stroke (p<0.001). The younger patients (18-50 years) had more functional improvement than the older patients (>=50 years) (p=0.002). A high negative correlation was found between age and functional recovery (r = -0.42, p=0.004). Conclusions: Patients with ischemic stroke recover much of their functional abilities with time, with age at younger years, fewer days in the hospital, and higher baseline FIM scores serving as independent predictors of improved outcomes.